I Was Not Arrested By The EFCC -Godwin Obla SAN.

“I was never arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission  yesterday,” Mr. Godwin Obla (SAN) told IPN News vide a telephone conversation this morning  in a reaction to stories that appeared in both offline and online media about his arrest by the Corruption-fighting Agency.

According to the Senior Advocate of Nigeria, he was merely invited by the  by the EFCC to help in unraveling how the plea bargain was negotiated in the $180million Halliburton bribery scandal. He was a lawyer working on behalf of the Minister of Justice for an agreed fee. “I’m even right now preparing a case for prosecution on behalf of the EFCC for a Lagos Court tomorrow. If I was arrested as splashed across the pages of the Newspapers, would this be so?  He asked.

It should be recalled that the media was awash with stories  about the arrest of   Mr. Godwin Obla (SAN) yesterday along with  a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), J. B. Daudu (SAN);  Damian D. Dodo (SAN); E.C. Ukala (SAN); and Roland Ewubare in connection with the EFCC investigation of the whereabout of the  $200m (N66billion) penalty fines paid by five companies involved in the scandal.

According to  one of the Reports Obla, who got to the EFCC headquarters at about 10am, was released at about 3.37pm after having explained his role as the coordinator of  negotiations with Siemens. He was granted bail on self recognition.

In a letter to the EFCC chairman, Mr. Damian Dodo( SAN) gave the breakdown of the payment of penalty fines including:

• Julius Berger. “Following the Settlement Agreement meeting which held in the office of the National Security Adviser and with Julius Berger Plc represented by Alh. Abdullahi Ibrahim, SAN (former Attorney-General of the Federation) the total sum of $35,000,000 (Thirty-Five Million US Dollars) was paid to the Federal Government Account. Copies of all relevant correspondence are attached for ease reference.
• Siemens “The Settlement and Non-prosecution Agreement with Siemens was entered into on the 22nd of November, 2010 following which the sum of €30,000,000 (Thirty Million Euros) which was Six Billion, Fifty Two Million, Two Hundred and Seventy Thousand Naira (N6,052,270.00)

“The Professional fees and cost as contained in the Agreement payable to the Legal Team were paid into the account of the designated Counsel, Godwin Obla of Obla & Co for and on behalf of the Legal team as instructed by the Team Leader

• Snamprogetti. “The Settlement Agreement with Snamprogetti was reached on the 10th of December 2010. The Federal Government of Nigeria received the sum of $30,000,000 (Thirty Million US Dollars) as a consequence of the Settlement Agreement.
• Halliburton Energy Services. “The Settlement Agreement entered into by the Federal Government with Halliburton Energy Services culminated in the Federal Government receiving the sum of $32, 500, 000 (Thirty-Two Million, Five Hundred US Dollars) in the designated Federal Government Account as indicated in the first schedule of the Agreement

Source IPN News.