#PanamaPapers: EmbattledDavid Mark lies, claimsexposed offshore companiesnot his

A former Senate president, David

Mark, has finally responded to
report exposing his link with
offshore shell companies in breach
of Nigeria’s code of conduct for
public officers.

On Tuesday, PREMIUM TIMES
exclusively reported Mr. Mark’s
links with eight offshore companies
in British Virgin Island as shown by
the leaked database of Mossack
Fonseca, a Panamanian law firm
reputed for helping clients register
shell companies, some of which are
used for illicit purposes.

The Mossack Fonseca database
shows that Mr. Mark is one of
Nigeria’s most extensive users of
offshore shell companies, even while
being a public official.

The companies are Sikera Overseas
S.A, Colsan Enterprises Limited,
Goldwin Transworld Limited,
Hartland Estates Limited, Marlin
Holdings Limited, Medley Holdings
Limited, Quetta Properties Limited,
and Centenary Holdings Limited.

In the documents, Mr. Mark was
repeatedly marked as a politically
exposed person, and at a point the
former Senate President had to send
documents, across to Mossack
Fonseca to prove that he was clean.
Before the report was published on
Monday, Mr. Mark declined to
respond to PREMIUM TIMES inquiry.

But on Thursday, he responded
through a statement by his media
aide, Paul Mumeh, denying link to
any offshore company.

In his response Thursday, Mr. Mark claimed he had gone through the #PanamaPapers database and that he was never mentioned anywhere.

PREMIUM TIMES