Abacha's son challenges Swiss court order to refund $350m to FG
Agency Reporter
An appeal by the son of ex military dictator Gen Sani Abacha, Abba, against a court order to return $350m in illegally gained assets has begun in Switzerland.
Photos: right late Sani Abacha, below son of the dictator abba abacha
Abba Abacha was also convicted of being a member of a criminal organisation and given a suspended custodial sentence, according to the BBC.
Switzerland began investigating the Abacha family in 1999 and has so far handed back about $700m to Nigeria.
The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice believes that Sani Abacha, who ruled from 1993 until his death in 1998, may have stolen $2.2bn.
The appeal started on Monday at a court in Geneva, officials say.
However, Swiss newspaper LeTemps reports that Abacha, who is currently in Nigeria, would not be attending the hearing.
He was refused a visa to come to Switzerland because he did not apply for it in time, the newspaper says.
The Swiss authorities pursued Abba Abacha for six years before extraditing him from Germany in 2005.
He was finally convicted by a court in Geneva in November 2009.
Other Reports:
A police court in Geneva, Switzerland on Monday began hearing in an appeal filed by the 41-year-old son of the late dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha, Mr. Abba Abacha, against an order seeking to seize $350m in stolen funds from him.Swiss newspaper, Le Temps, reports that Abba was not in court because he did not apply for a visa in time. The report said his lawyer asked for an adjournment to enable him to be present.
The British Broadcasting Corporation reports that Swiss authorities pursued Abba for six years before extraditing him from Germany in 2005. He was finally convicted by a court in Geneva in November 2009.Abba was also convicted of being a member of a criminal organisation and given a suspended custodial sentence.He was also ordered to return $350m, which was collected with help from Luxembourg and the Bahamas.Le Temps reports that Swiss prosecutors alleged that Abba used false identities to open more than 30 bank accounts in Switzerland, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein and the Bahamas.
The funds allegedly belonged to his late father and close relations.Over two billion Swiss francs were deposited in Switzerland.Switzerland began investigating the Abacha family in 1999 and has so far returned about $700m to Nigeria. The former head of state, who died in June 1998, is believed to have stolen $2.2bn in public funds, which he stashed in various banks around the world.Since 1999, Switzerland has restored over $600m to Nigeria.Le Temps reports that members of the Abacha family used various means to move public funds out of Nigeria.
