The trial of former Taraba State Governor, Darius Dickson Ishaku, and a former Permanent Secretary in the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Bello Yero, took a fresh turn on Monday as a prosecution witness detailed how funds meant for local governments were allegedly diverted to private accounts.
The third prosecution witness, Taiwo Johns, gave testimony before Justice Slyvanus Oriji of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja.
Mr Ishaku and Mr Yero are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged N27 billion fraud.
Led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr Johns told the court that several sums of money, allegedly federal allocations to local governments, were transferred into the account of his company, P3 Cornerstone.
He said after the funds were received, he reported the transactions to officials of the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and was instructed to either withdraw the money in cash or transfer it to designated accounts.
According to the witness, one of the transactions occurred on 11 October 2019, when Yorro Local Government allegedly lodged N50 million into P3 Cornerstone’s account.
“The transaction is from Yoro Local Government on October 11, 2019. Yoro Local Government made a lodgment of N50 million into P3 Cornerstone,” he said.
Mr Johns said he reported the transaction to the Permanent Secretary and was instructed to withdraw the money.
“On the same day the amount was reported to the Perm Sec, they asked me to make a withdrawal of the amount, which I did, and the Perm Sec came to the bank. I handed it to the Perm Sec and Dare Lawal,” he told the court.
The witness also testified about another transaction involving N58.5 million, which he said was deposited into the account and reported to the Permanent Secretary and Babangida Hassan, the Director of Finance.
“The sum of N58,500,000 was deposited, and I reported it to the Permanent Secretary and Babangida Hassan, the Director of Finance,” he said.
He referred to Exhibit 11, telling the court that it contained a cheque of N64.95 million from Gassol Local Government dated 5 November 2019.
Mr Johns added that N1.45 million was sent to P3 Cornerstone on the same date and that the money was paid into the emirate and traditional council account. He explained that the account was used for the payment of salaries, allowances and medical expenses of emirs and chiefs.
The witness also testified about transactions involving Ardo-Kola and Gassol local governments.
“There is a manager’s cheque of Ardo Kola Local Government on November 28, 2019, of N55m. On the same date, N62m entered P3 Cornerstone from Gassol Local Government,” he said.
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According to him, N50 million from the Gassol transaction was withdrawn and handed over to the Permanent Secretary at a UBA branch, while another portion was transferred to one Prince.
“On the same date, November 29, 2019, Prince received N5.6m. The balance was cashed and handed over to the Perm Sec and Dare Lawal in UBA,” he said.
Continuing his testimony, the witness referred the court to Exhibit 9 and narrated another transaction involving Gassol Local Government on 2 December 2019.
“On December 2, 2019, there was a transaction of N17,378,542 and N13,120,051 from Gassol Local Government lodged. I reported the case to my Director of Finance, Babangida Hassan. He instructed me to withdraw the money: N30,498,593. I handed it over to the Director of Finance and Dare Lawal,” he said.
The trial Judge, Oriji, adjourned the matter till Tuesday (6 October) for continuation of the trial.
