South Africa Set to Return Seized $9m to Nigeria

The South African government has resolved to hand over a sum of $9.34m to the Nigerian government on November 30, 2015.

The said amount had earlier been confiscated by the South African authorities from an Israeli arms dealer, Eyal Mesika, of Cyprus-based ESD International, who was acting on behalf of the Federal Government to procure arms for Nigeria.

A report by a South African news site, beta.iol.co.za, on Friday, said Nigeria would get the confiscated $9.34m on November 30, 2015, the arms dealer would be freed without prosecution and the South African government would engage in future arms deals with Nigeria.

“That is the result of a quiet deal finalising a year-long international wrangle after South African Customs officials and police stopped a man who flew into Lanseria Airport from Nigeria carrying bags stuffed with $9.34m cash for a ‘humanitarian’ arms deal,” the report said.

The report further stated that two weeks ago, the National Prosecuting Authority of SA agreed to hand over the cash to the defence adviser at the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria, and that this agreement was made an order of the court.

It would be recalled that in September of 2014, an aircraft belonging to Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor conveying $9.3m cash from Abuja, allegedly for arms purchase, was detained by the South African authorities, and the said money seized.