South Africa made a friendly gesture and finally returned $15m meant for arms purchase, which were confiscated on two separate occasions in September and October this year, thecable.ng reports.
This has been confirmed by Lulu Louis Mnguni, the South African Ambassador to Nigeria, during a press briefing on October 24, 2014, Friday.
“South Africa’s relations with Nigeria is priceless, it cannot be sold for $15m,” he said.
The ambassador also debunked the allegations that the deadly collapse of the Synagogue church on September 12, and confiscation of Nigerian money in South Africa were related:
“These are two separate incidents, and of course, the issue of the money, have already been sorted out. Nigeria has been given the money,”Mnguni stated.
He further noted that SCOAN collapse was a huge tragedy for both sides, but in the long term, it would make the relations between the two countries even closer.
It would be recalled that South African customs officials of Johannesburg international airport seized cases containing $9.3m from two Nigerians and an Israeli. The trio flew into the country in a private jet beloning to the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria. The people were soon released, but not the money they ‘smuggled’.
Immediate efforts by the Federal Government to prove the legality of money did not bring any positive effect. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) of South Africa stated that the manner in which the money was brought into the country breached the laws that deal with the transfer of foreign exchange.
Another sum of $5.7m, originated from Nigeria for the purposes of arms purchase, was seized on October 5, 2014.
South Africa promised to return the money back to Nigeria on October 14. Therefore, Pretoria has actually fulfilled its promise.
