Africa
and Nigeria’s richest man Aliko Dangote and his half-brother, Sayyu
Dantata including allies and relatives have been named among those who
use secret shell companies domiciled in controversial tax havens in
their business transactions.
According to Premium Times
investigation, Mr Dangote, alongside his half brother, Sayyu Dantata,
the founder of MRS Holdings bought equal shares of 12,500 each from
OVLAS S.A, a shell company registered in Seycheles, on October 6, 2003.
13 shell companies registered by the
firm are directly linked to persons and companies who in turn are linked
to Aliko Dangote and his allies, the report added.
In what seems like a curious but smart
business transaction, Dangote, Dantata and their company, bought equal
shares of 12,500 each from OVLAS S.A, a shell company registered in
Seycheles, on October 6, 2003.
On the same date, a company they both own, MRS Oil and Gas Co. Limited bought 25,000 numbers of shares from OVLAS S.A.
According to the documents, three years
after they existed as shareholders of the company, the trio – Dangote,
Dantata and M.R.S Oil and Gas Company Limited – ceased to be shareholder
in the company. That was on April 12, 2006.
Mr. Dangote was issued a higher amount
of shares – 250,000 – on the same day he resigned. Same curious but
smart business transaction was used to acquire Petrowest S.A in the same
Seycheles.
The report also revealed that Mr Dangote
employed a tactical move of companies within companies all in an
attempt to evade taxes.
Dangote had earlier been linked to be operating highly secretive foreign accounts with the Swiss branch of banking giant, HSBC.
But Dangote has denied having connection with the off shore companies.
“Thank you for your enquiry concerning
our alleged relationship with the following off shore companies namely:
Paseo Trading Ltd, Seychelles; Petrowest S.A.,Seychelles; SID Holdings
Corp, Panama and Chalmers Shipping Inc, Panama.
“I wish to state categorically that
neither Aliko Dangote nor Dangote Industries Ltd (DIL) has any form of
relationship with these alleged four off shore companies. The Group has
four quoted companies on the Nigerian Stock Exchange and we cannot
afford to tarnish our reputation or conduct our business in an unethical
manner given this profile,” the spokesperson for the Dangote Group,
Tony Chiejina said.
Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is set to swing into action and
arrest Nigerians named in the Panama Paper leaks with secret offshore
companies.
So far, Nigerians named in the leak are
embattled senate president, Bukola Saraki, Former Senate President David
Mark, Saraki’s wife, Toyin, former Delta State Governor James Ibori,
Mr. Laolu Saraki, Mr. Obi Asika, Olufela Ibidapo and former Defence
Minister Gen. Yakubu Danjuma.
credit: omojuwa.com
Post a Comment