An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission witness, Michael
Adariku, on Thursday told an Abuja High Court how N1.4bn security vote
from the office of the National Security Adviser was diverted.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported that Adariku, an EFCC officer
of EFCC, made this known when he testified in the trial of Sambo Dasuki,
a former National Security Adviser to former President Goodluck
Jonathan.
Dasuki is standing trial on 19 counts bordering on alleged diversion of N13.6bn since 2015.
On trial along with Dasuki were Shuaibu Salisu, a former Director
of Finance, Office of the National Security Adviser, and Aminu
Baba-Kusa, a former NNPC Executive Director, and two others.
Adariku, the first prosecution witness said that the diversion was
made through a company owned by a former Director, Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation, Aminu Baba-Kusa.
The company, Acacia Holdings Ltd., was credited with the sum from
the accounts of ONSA purportedly for a national prayer to be organised
for Nigeria.
The witness, led in evidence by EFCC’s counsel, Rotimi Jacobs
(SAN), narrated how N650m was transferred from the ONSA’s Zenith Bank
account to Acacia Holdings account with Ecobank for the purpose of the
said prayer.
He, however, said that from the response of Ecobank, N650m was
transferred to various individuals and companies contrary to the purpose
it was disbursed for.
Adariku further revealed that on April 20, 2015, N150m was
transferred to the account of Baba-Kusa, and that on April 22, another
N70m was transferred to one Jubril Abdullahi for purposes not stated.
He said that on April 22, an account to account transfer of N50m
was forwarded to the account of Baba-Kusa between May 4 and May 6, 2015.
The witness said that another transfer of N150m was made to a
company, Medical Plastics Ltd. found to be owned by Baba-Kusa and his
wife, Hauwa, who own 1.8 million shares in the company.
The witness further revealed how N200m was transferred from ONSA’s
account with Zenith Bank to Acacia Holdings Ltd. account with the United
Bank for Africa on October 9, 2014.
He added that another N600m was transferred from ONSA’s account to Acacia on April 17, 2015.
While in the process of giving vivid account of how the sums were
transferred to various individuals and companies, counsel to Acacia
Holdings, Dr Biodun Layonu (SAN) raised an objection.
Layonu objected to the witness’ testimony on the ground that the
documents relating to the transactions were not clear in the copies that
the prosecution served them.
He said that most of the figures being quoted by the witness had been blanked out in the document in his possession.
The judge, Justice Husseini Baba-Yusuf, acknowledged the
observation by the defence counsel for Acacia and directed that the
prosecution should make clearer copies available to the defendants
before the next adjourned date.
He then adjourned the trial until December 13 and 14 for continuation of trial.
Meanwhile, the EFCC on Thursday called two prosecution witnesses
who testified before the Federal High Court in Abuja in respect of the
N2.1bn fraud charges instituted against the African Independent
Television’s founder, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, and his Daar Investment and
Holdings Limited.
The two witnesses told the court how they supplied generators, a
transformer and security doors valued at millions of naira, to Dokpesi’s
houses in Lagos and Agenebode, Edo State, as well as his offices at
different times after the sum of N2.1bn was allegedly paid to the
defendants by the Office of the National Security Adviser between
January and March 2015.
The Administrative Manager of Mikano International Ltd, Abuja
branch, Mr. Peter Imoekor, testified as the seventh prosecution witness
while the Managing Director, Gilgal Concepts Ltd, Mr. Fabian Ozoemina,
testified as the eighth.
The witnesses were led by the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Oluwaleke
Atolagbe. The EFCC is prosecuting Dokpesi and his company on six counts
bordering on the sum of N2.1bn which they allegedly received in tranches
from the office of the National Security Adviser between January and
March 2015.
Dokpesi and Daar Investments were said to have received the sum of
N2.12bn from ONSA, then headed by Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), as payment
for a “purported contract on presidential media initiative.”
The prosecution alleged that the payment was in breach of and
punishable under provisions of the Public Procurement Act, Money
Laundering (Prohibition) Act and the EFCC (Establishment) Act.
The seventh prosecution witness, Imoekor, told the court on
Thursday that he was invited by the EFCC in February 2016 “to clarify”
some transactions which Mikano had with Dokpesi and Daar Communications
Plc.
He explained how, between February and August 2015 Mikano supplied
four units of 140KVA, two units of 200KVA and a 500KVA transformer to
Dokpesi’s house in Agenebode (Dokpesi’s hometown) and Daar’s offices in
Sokoto and Gusau, Zamfara State.
He said “The transaction was in respect of four units of 140KVA Basic (open type). Each costs N3.5m and they all totalled N14m
“Daar made payment for all. The payment was made in two tranches of N7m each through First Bank drafts.
“On March 19, 2015, they came to exchange three of the ‘Basic’
generators with soundproof type and paid the difference of N6,350,000
through UBA Plc.
“Then on March 30, 2015, delivery was made. We delivered them to Sokoto and Gusau, the capital of Zamfara State.”
When asked, the Mikano official confirmed that the instructions for the transactions were from Dokpesi.
“They were mostly carried out by the officials of Daar Communications”, Imoekor added.
Under cross-examination by Dokpesi’s lawyer, Chief Kanu Agabi
(SAN), the witness said he did not know the sources of the money paid by
Dokpesi and his company for the supply of the products.
He also said he did not know about the income and expenditure of Daar.
“There is nothing about the transactions I consider abnormal,” he added.
On their relationship, he said, “They have been our customers for
years”, adding that he did not see anything wrong in the transaction
until he was invited by the EFCC.
“I don’t know if it was after charges were filed that I made my
statement, I only responded to the invitation by the EFCC,” the witness
said.
On his part, Ozoemina said the EFCC invited him sometimes in
January 2016 over the case the agency “had with High Chief Raymond
Dokpesi and Daar Communications.”
“They asked me what the money they paid to my company was for and I said they were for security doors,” the witness said.
He confirmed that Dokpesi, whom he had known for close to 20 years, gave the instructions for the transactions.
Under cross-examination, he said he did not know the sources of the money paid by Dokpesi.
When asked if he would describe Dokpesi whom he had been relating
with for 20 years as a good man, the witness said “he (Dokpesi, is a
very good man, I would say.”
Justice John Tsoho adjourned till November 17 for continuation of trial.