The Nigerian Bar Association [NBA] has debunked allegations that the immediate past NBA President, Mr. Augustine Alegeh {above} embezzled funds belonging to the learned associates.
Some NBA members had petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC] to investigate Mr. Augustine Alegeh [SAN].
Read also: NBA: LAWYERS PETITION EFCC, ALLEGE CORRUPTION, MONEY LAUNDERING BY ALEGEH
The lawyers raised suspicions of financial misconduct, corrupt enrichment and money laundering by the former NBA president.
The petitioners, amongst other things, claimed that on Thursday 25th August, Mr. Alegeh informed the AGM that he left N200M in NBA account but the new officers found only N20m.
They also claimed that the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom E. Wike gave the sum of N250m to Mr. Alegeh as appreciation for bringing the 2016 Bar Conference to Port Harcourt, River State.
But claimed that the money meant for NBA was seemingly diverted, converted and shared by a few national officers notably the immediate past President and immediate past General Secretary.
Reacting to the allegation, the immediate past General Secretary to NBA, Mazi Afam Osigwe blasted the petition as a piece of falsehood.
Mazi Osigwe stated that “the stories being peddled are not true.”
He stated categorically: “throughout our tenure we NEVER received any cash donation nor made any cash payment.”
To that effect, NBA released the audited account of the NBA so as to refute the falsehood of the petition by the group ‘LAWYERS FOR JUSTICE’.
Interestingly, it could be noticed that the donation of N300m by the Rivers State Government is captured in item 25A on page 29 of the audited report.
Read the record, as contained in the “Financial Statements 2016” on the next page: