The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine

Tag: Efcc

  • Court rejects EFCC exhibits against ex-SGF, Lawal

     

    Justice Charles Agbaza of an FCT High Court in Friday rejected evidence by a witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in the trial of a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal.

    Lawal is charged alongside his younger brother, Hamidu, who is a director of Rholavision Engineering Limited; an employee of the company, Suleiman Abubakar; Managing Director of Josmon Technologies Limited, Apeh John Monday; the two companies: Rholavision Engineering Limited and Josmon Technologies Limited.

    The EFCC charged them with 10 counts of fraud relating to a contract awarded by the Presidential Initiative for the North-East for the removal of invasive plant species to the tune of N544 Million.

    They all pleaded not guilty.

    Delivering a ruling, Justice Agbaza agreed with the defendants that the court in 2021 rejected some exhibits on the said phone.

    He added that the EFCC was only attempting to bring into the court records, exhibits already marked rejected.

    The judge held that any oral evidence of the EFCC’s witness on the rejected exhibits would amount to hearsay since he was not the maker and did not sign them.

    Agbaza said, “I have carefully examined the foundation of arguments for and against the admissibility of the evidence in dispute and found only two issues for determination.

    “The first issue is on whether the evidence of the prosecution witness falls on hearsay in respect of the exhibits, while the second issue is on whether this court has once rejected the exhibits sought to be tendered.

    “On issue one, the witness on his own informed the court of how he was invited into the EFCC laboratory and was shown information extracted from a iPhone7. On this, I am satisfied that the witness is not the maker of the exhibits in dispute. They were only shown to him according to his oral evidence here.”

    The judge added, “Therefore, anything said or to be said by the witness is nothing but hearsay and for this reason, I resolve this issue in favour of the defendants

    “On the second issue, there is no dispute that the exhibits were earlier sought to be tendered but they were turned down and marked rejected and even, the rejection is a subject of appeal at the Court of Appeal

    “For this reason, I agree that the evidence cannot be admitted having been earlier rejected and marked rejected.”

    The former SGF had on January 13, through his lawyer, Chief Akin Olujimi SAN, objected to the line of evidence being given by the witness, Dare Folarin, on an iPhone seized from one Musa Bulani.

    Olujimi said that EFCC wanted to smuggle in evidence earlier rejected by the court when it ruled against admitting a compact disc on the said iPhone.

    Other defendants’ counsel aligned themselves with Olujimi’s submission.

    Counsel for the third defendant, Mr Napoleon Idelana, said that EFCC filed an appeal against the ruling of the court on the rejection of the disc.

    The Prosecution Counsel, Ofem Uket, urged the court to discountenance the defendants’ objection, arguing that Folarin’s evidence was not a hear saying evidence.

    Uket argued that the witness, who is the eighth prosecution witness (PW8), was only saying what he and other investigators saw and did at the EFCC laboratory on the iPhone.

    The case could, however, not process due to the information given to the court that the PW8, who ought to continue with his evidence-in-chief was not present in court as he was indisposed and therefore, sought an adjournment.

    Justice Agbaza adjourned the case until Feb. 16 and Feb. 17 for continuation of hearing.

    (Punch)

  • Just In: EFCC seals former Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso’s property in Kano

    Just In: EFCC seals former Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso’s property in Kano

    A property belonging to the former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has been sealed off by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Kano.

    According to Daily Trust newspaper, one Barrister Mustapha Danjuma had alleged in a petition that Kwankwaso received contribution of N70 million from each of 44 local government councils in Kano State.

    The petition, revealed that the amount from the 44 local government councils totalled N3.08 billion. This had brought Kwankwaso under investigation by the EFCC.

    The amount was allegedly channelled towards his presidential primary in 2015.

    Kwankwaso served as the Senator representing Kano Central Senatorial District between 2011 and 2015.

    (newswirengr.com)

  • EFCC Spokesman confirms Saraki’s arrest, detention

    EFCC Spokesman confirms Saraki’s arrest, detention

    Says he is under interrogation

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Saturday in Abuja confirmed the arrest and detention of the former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki.

    Wilson Uwujaren, EFCC Spokesman

    According to the spokesperson of the commission, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, he said Saraki was invited for questioning over allegations of corruption and money laundering.

    He said the former Senate President was currently in the custody of the commission for the continuation of interrogation.

    The invitation and detention of Saraki for interrogation was happening days after a former Nasarawa State Gov. Tanko Al-Makura and his wife, Mairo, were invited and interrogated.

    Bukola Saraki

    The commission had invited Al-Makura and the wife over alleged breach of public trust and misappropriation of billions of naira by his administration. (NAN)

  • EFCC: 30 suspects arrested for fraud @ Lagos Hotel

     

    No fewer than 30 suspects have been arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission during a raid on Parktonian Hotel in the Lekki area of Lagos State.

     

    During the raid on Tuesday, the operatives were alleged to have gained entry into the occupants’ rooms by seizing the master cards from the management of the hotel at gunpoint.

     

    When the operatives gained entry into the rooms, it was learnt that some of the occupants were naked under the duvet as the operatives interrogated the occupants.

    One of the victims, while lamenting the invasion, told the Peoples Gazette, “I was naked, and I had to beg them (for me) to put something on. I am actually hypertensive, but I put myself together because I am not a criminal in any way.”

     

    An eyewitness told the Peoples Gazette, “They broke into the hotel and threatened to shoot the receptionists and management workers if they didn’t immediately release the master access card to them. So, the hotel workers had to comply immediately.”

     

    According to the newspaper, it was learnt that no fewer than 13 guests were whisked away by the EFCC operatives during the raid.

     

    During a telephone interview with a representative of the Parktonian Hotel, who simply identified himself as Christian, he told The PUNCH correspondent that he was not aware of the incident.

     

     

     

    He said, “I am not in the right place to talk to you; it is the manager that can talk to you. I just resumed this evening; I have been off for some days and I just resumed today. I don’t know what you are talking about.”

     

    However, when contacted, the spokesperson for the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said the operatives acted on verified intelligence targeted at suspects at Parktonian Hotel, adding that 30 suspects were arrested during the raid.

     

    He said, “Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, acting on verified intelligence, carried out a sting operation targeted at cybercrime suspects at Parktonian Hotel in the Lekki area of Lagos State in the early hours of Tuesday.

     

    “During the exercise, 30 suspects were arrested. Of this number, 24 have been established to be involved in internet-related fraud. The operation was executed without incident as the facility had been under surveillance for weeks during which the commission was able to isolate the rooms where the suspects were lodged.

     

    “Access to the rooms was seamless as the commission has standard procedure for accessing such facilities without application of force or discomfort to guests. No guest of the hotel was molested.

     

    “But the commission observes a disturbing trend in which cybercrime suspects now employ kept ladies who feign nakedness as a decoy to distract operatives of the commission to enable them to destroy incriminating evidence before arrest.”

     

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.punchng.com

  • EFCC:Alleged 1bn fraud by Oyo state Assembly

    EFCC:Alleged 1bn fraud by Oyo State Assembly

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has commenced grilling of some top officials of the Oyo State House of Assembly over a N1 billion contract.

    The Nation gathered that the Deputy Clerk of the Assembly and the Director of Admin and Supplies (DAS) were arrested on Thursday and taken to the commission’s Ibadan Zonal Office, where they were questioned by its operatives throughout the day.

    They were, however, released in the evening. The Director of Finance and Accounts was said to have been interrogated on Friday.

    The interrogation followed a petition by an Abuja-based lawyer and anti-corruption advocate, Tosin Ojaomo, alleging that the Speaker of the House of Assembly Adebo Ogundoyin, in connivance with top civil servants in the House, defrauded the state in a N1,031,380,000 contract to supply 33 brand new vehicles for the state lawmakers.

    Ojaomo alleged that Ogundoyin; his deputy, Abiodun Fadeyi; the Director General, Bureau of Public Procurement, Ms Tara Adefope and DAS Mrs. S. K. Kolawole; Director of Finance and Accounts Mrs. B. O. Ogundipe; TM Portman Nig. Ltd. and others conspired to award the contract to TM Portman Ltd., which supplied refurbished cars instead of brand new ones. The contract was for 2019 model 33 brand new Toyota Camry cars.

    The lawyer explained that Ogundoyin and other suspects fraudulently arranged the contract to favour the above company. He said the company erased the mileage of each car to present them as brand new but that the fraud was exposed when the vehicles started developing mechanical faults few days after they were supplied.

    The petition read in part: “…my findings reveals a flagrant violation of procurement laws and several fraudulent practices relating to gratification in contract awards and favouritism at the Oyo State House of Assembly, which can be likened to an entrenched system of prebendalism and patrimonialism, the underhand contract fraud being perpetrated to siphon and drain the treasury of Oyo State House of Assembly is a call for serious concern and investigation to safeguard public interest…”

    Ojaomo also alleged that the Speaker and his alleged accomplices inflated contract for renovation of the Speaker’s official residence to N22,809,003.81, further alleging: “The rest of the funds was diverted and shared with some government officials and their accomplices.”

    The lawyer also noted that the same company was awarded the contract for the setting up of a website and supply of ICT equipment to the Assembly. He urged the commission to trace payments for the contract and determine how much went into the pockets of public officials in form of gratification out of the sum paid.

    Arrest and interrogation of relevant officials will continue this week, The Nation learnt.

    When contacted, the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Kazeem Olayanju, was unavailable for comments.

     

    Source: www.thenationonlineng.net

  • EFCC: Minister launders $37m through real estate deal

    THE Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, has described the real estate sector as one with grand scale corruption in the country.

     

    The EFCC boss added that about 90 to 100 percent of resources are being laundered through the sector.

     

    Bawa stated this while featuring on Sunrise Daily, a current affairs programme, on Channels Television on Tuesday.

     

    He said the commission investigated a female minister, who he said, bought $37.5m property from a bank and deposited $20m cash.

     

    Bawa, who is marking his 100 days in office, did not however disclose the identity of the suspect or whether she is a current or former minister.

     

    He said, “One of the problems we have in the country is the real estate. Ninety to 100 per cent of the resources are being laundered through the real estate. Of course, they are being regulated but they are not enough in terms of how they give their returns to the Special Control Unit.

     

    “We investigated a matter in which a bank MD marketed a property to a minister and agreed to purchase it at $37.5m. The bank then sent a vehicle to her house to evacuate $20m from her house in the first instance.

     

    “The bank succeeded to put it in their system and paid the developer and then a lawyer set up a special purpose vehicle where the title documents were transferred into and of course, he is posing as the owner of the house.

     

    “Without the help of the banker, the minister couldn’t have imagined collecting $20m from anyone with opportunity from the real sector; she could not have thought of where to launder the proceeds of crime.”

     

     

     

    Source: www.theadvocatengr.com

  • EFCC arrests Man for defrauding Burea De Change operator of $10,000

    One Lukman Adeshina has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for allegedly defrauding a Bureau De Change operator of $10,000.

     

    It was gathered that Adeshina was arrested on April 14, 2021, in the Ipaja-Ayobo area of Lagos State after one Isa Mohammed approached the anti-graft agency to make a complaint against him.

     

    Mohammed, according to a statement by the Head of Media and Publicity, EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, alleged that a BDC operator, Bashir Isa, sometime in March 2020 approached him with an offer to sell $10,000, while he would pay the naira equivalent of the dollars to him.

     

    He alleged that when Isa requested a dollar account, where the money would be paid into, he was provided with a Wells Fargo Bank account number 4861511475, adding that upon receipt of the money paid by one Thomas Joyner in the United States of America, he transferred the sum of N3.5m into Isa’s account in a new generation bank.

     

    He, however, said that the said sum of $10,000 was reversed by Wells Fargo on the grounds that the transaction was unauthorised and fraudulent.

     

    According to Uwujaren, investigation revealed that Isa made the transactions on behalf of Adeshina, who confessed to being involved in scamming unsuspecting victims and defrauding them of huge sums of money.

     

    Isa also claimed that he approached the complainant based on a call he received from one Muttaka Idris to help him provide an account in the USA, where dollars could be paid into.

     

     

    When apprehended by the EFCC, Idris claimed that when he received the Wells Fargo account details, he gave it to one Jamil Na-Allah, who also asked him for it.

     

    In his statement to the EFCC, Na-Allah, a BDC operator, revealed that he got a call from the suspect, who informed him that he wanted to sell $10,000 and asked for a US account, where the money would be paid into.

     

    Na-Allah claimed that upon the payment of the money into the account, the sum of N3m was transferred into his account, out of which he transferred N2,730,000 into the suspect’s account after he had taken his share and that of Idris from it.

     

    Uwujaren added that the suspect would be charged soon.

     

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.punchng.com

  • Appeal court upholds Raymond Dokpesi’s no case submission, frees him

    It was a special Easter gift for the founder of DAAR Communications Plc, Chief Raymond Dokpesi as the Abuja division of the Court of Appeal on Thursday, quashed the N2.1B money laundering charges filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

     

    The appellate court upheld the no-case submission made by Dokpesi and DAAR Communications charged along with him in the seven-count criminal charge.

     

    In a judgment in an appeal filed by his counsel, Kanu Agabi (SAN) a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF), Justice Elfreda Oyebisi Williams-Dawodu held that the EFCC failed woefully to establish prima facie case against the appellant in all the charges

     

    Justice Williams-Dawodu further held that the ingredients of the offences were not provided by the prosecution as required by law.

     

    The appellate court agreed with Agabi that being a predicate offence, the ingredients of the offences against the appellant must be clearly provided, adding that it is clear that none of the offences was established in line with provisions of law.

     

    The court further held that EFCC failed to prove that the N2.1 billion allegedly received by the appellant as payment was a proceed of breach of trust.

     

    A federal high court, Abuja had in November. 2018 dismissed the no-case submission filed by the AIT founder on the grounds that a prima facie had been successful established against him by the EFCC in the alleged N2.1B money laundering .

     

    Justice John Tsoho, the current Chief Judge of the court had after the ruling, ordered Dokpesi to open his defense on the grounds that he had some explanations to offer in the charges against him.

     

    However, dissatisfied with the ruling of the high court, Dokpesi approached the Appeal Court and prayed that the ruling of the lower court made against him be set aside and his no case submission be upheld.

     

    The Court of Appeal agreed with Dokpesi and consequently set aside the decision of the lower court and also quashed the charges.

     

    Justice William-Dowodu in a unanimous judgment held that there was nothing in the evidence of the 14 witnesses called by EFCC to persuade the court to compel the appellant to enter a defence in the charges where ingredients of the offence were not provided.

     

    “No case was made against the appellant in counts 1, 2, 3 and 4 to warrant his being called upon to open his defence.

     

    “There is no possibility that the appellant can be convicted in the charges because the evidence of the witnesses are so manifestly unreliable.

     

    “I am of the view that irrespective of the ingredients stated earlier, and those by the appellant and first respondent respectively, prior proof or establishment of the predicate offences in count 1,2,3 and 4 of the amended charge is sine qua non to the proof of the offences of money laundering specified in the said counts.

     

    “In totality, this appeal has merit, it is allowed and the ruling of the Federal High Court is hereby set aside and the appellant is discharged ,” Justice Williams-Dawodu held.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.sunnewsonline.com

  • EFCC: Asset declaration now a must, “more attention will be devoted to battling cyber crimes”

     

    Bankers have come under the searchlight of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the anti-graft agency’s new focus on infractions.

     

    More attention will also be devoted to cyber crime “which has become a big problem to this country”, EFCC Chairman AbdulRasheed Bawa said.

     

    Bawa spoke yesterday at the State House after briefing President Muhammadu Buhari on his action plan.

     

    Bawa, who was cleared by the Senate to commence work last month, said focus on bankers is part of the Commission’s renewed poise to clampdown on financial crimes in all sectors of the economy.

     

    He said: “We understood that the tail end of every financial crime is for the criminal to have access to the funds that he or she has illegitimately gotten.

     

    “We’re worried about the roles of financial institutions. We have discussed, but we hope that all (staff of) financial institutions, particularly the bankers, will declare their assets as provided for by the law, in accordance with the Bank Employees Declaration of Asset Act.

     

     

    “The EFCC, come the 1st of June 2021, will be demanding this asset declaration forms, filled by the bankers so that the line that we have drawn from the first of June is really complied with by all bankers.”

     

    Bawa said this move will enhance financial sanity and make it easy to track illegally acquired funds.

     

    He said, the EFCC under his watch had reviewed its mandate and that President Buhari had shown satisfaction with the agency’s proposal.

     

    “We reviewed a lot of things that we want to do towards eradication of financial crimes. As you are aware, I was here about two weeks ago before taking over.

     

    “He (Buhari) is happy with what he has heard so far with the reforms we are working on with the new EFCC going forward, in terms of the way we investigate, prosecute and the way we are generally executing our mandate.

     

    “My assurance to Nigerians, going forward, is that we are going to do our best to ensure that this country is free of financial crimes.”

     

    Expressing worries over the escalation of cybercrime, especially among young Nigerians, Bawa appealed to those currently engaging in it to desist, noting that it is giving Nigeria the wrong image.

     

    Bawa said around 300 suspected cyber criminals were arrested in the last one month in different parts of the country.

     

    “As a young man, I am appealing to all young Nigerians to desist from these cybercrime activities. It is giving bad name to our country, it is also chasing away a lot of foreign investments that we need and I call on all parents, guardians, and, of course, elders in the community, in the society, to be able to talk to these young people to desist from these crimes.

     

    “These are crimes that they commit online. And of course, there is nothing like patting your back to say go and sin no more. Our laws do not provide for that. It is a crime and as we say in the EFCC, we will get you anywhere, anytime.”

     

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.thenationonlineng.net

  • EFCC arraigns former Director of FIRS

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Thursday, arraigned a former Coordinating Director of Federal Inland Revenue Service, Peter Hena and eight other officers of the agency before Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

     

    The others are the Director of Finance,Mohammed Auta; Amina Sidi (Finance and Account department); Umar Aduka (Internal Audit); Mbura Mustapha (Deputy Manager); Obi Malachy (Services Group); Obaje Adofu (Head of Budget); Udo-Inyang Alfred (Officer II) and Benjamin Jiya (Assistant Director).

     

    They are facing 42- count bordering on corruption, fraud and criminal misappropriation of funds to the turn of N4,558,160,676.9.

     

    This was contained in a statement by the EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, titled, ‘EFCC arraigns three FIRS directors, six other officers for N4.5bn fraud.’

     

    Count one of the charge reads, “That you, Peter Hena, Mohammed Bello Auta, Amina Sidi, Umar Aliyu Aduka, Mbura, Mustapha, Obi Okeke Malachy, Obaje Napoleon Adofu, Udo-Inyang Effiong Alfred and Benjamin Jiya while being staff of the Federal Inland Revenue Services between January, 2017 and December 2018 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired together with the other officials of FIRS to conceal funds which are proceeds of an unlawful activities to wit: Corruption, Fraud and Criminal Misappropriation of Funds and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 18 and punishable under section 15(2) (a) and (3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 ( as amended by Act No. 1 of 2021).”

     

    The defendants pleaded not guilty.

     

    In view of their plea, prosecuting counsel, Ekele Iheanacho asked the court for a date to commence trial.

    But the defendants through their counsel prayed the court to grant them bail.

    Justice Ojukwu granted them bail in the sum of N100m each and sureties in like sum.

    The sureties who must be Nigerians residing in Abuja with landed property within the jurisdiction of the court, are also to provide evidence of tax clearance.

     

    The judge also ruled that the defendants are to deposit their travel documents with the court and to seek the permission of the court before travelling out of the country.

     

    The matter was adjourned till June 14, 15, 23, 24, 28, 29, 2021 for commencement of trial.

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.punchng.com

  • 2023 Election: Bawa has neither met with INEC officials nor made any pronouncement remotely related to the election since he was appointed – EFCC

     

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has described as false a report (Not by The PUNCH) that its Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, advised the Independent National Electoral Commission against selling forms to persons with a file with the agency who are aspiring to contest in 2023 general elections.

     

    The EFCC said Bawa has neither met with INEC officials nor made any pronouncement remotely related to the election since he was appointed.

     

     

    The agency disclosed this in a statement signed by its Head, Media & Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, and issued on March 5, 2021.

     

    The statement read, “The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has been drawn to a report currently circulating in the social media, in which the Executive Chairman, Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa, is quoted as having advised the Independent National Electoral Commission, not to sell forms to any aspirant who has a file with the agency, pursuant to the 2023 general election.

     

    “The Commission wishes to state that the report is false as the Executive Chairman has neither met with INEC officials nor made any pronouncement remotely related to election since he was appointed.

     

    “All he has said, in his two public outings so far, pertain to issues concerning his vision for the EFCC and the outlook for the fight against corruption in Nigeria.

     

    “Qualification for elective political offices in Nigeria are clearly stated in the 1999 Constitution and relevant sections of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

     

    “It is not the place of the EFCC chairman to determine who runs for an office or otherwise.

     

    “Members of the public are therefore enjoined to consider this report as another classic case of fake news and discountenance it.”

     

     

     

    Source: www.punchng.com

  • EFCC: Alleged mismanagement of recovered assets by the EFCC were not backed with any documentary evidence – Maina’s witness

    Ngozika Ihuoma, a defence witness called to testify by the chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina, conceded on Friday that his claims of alleged mismanagement of recovered assets by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) were not backed with any documentary evidence.

     

    Mr Ihuoma, the first defence witness to testify for Mr Maina, who is being prosecuted before the Federal High Court in Abuja for laundering N2billion, made the concession under cross-examination by EFCC’s lawyer, Mohammed Abubakar.

     

    PREMIUM TIMES reported how Mr Ihuoma testified in his evidence-in-chief on Thursday that the anti-graft agency mismanaged 222 assets handed over to it by the Mr Maina-led PRTT.

     

    He had also credited the PRTT with the recovery of funds that were used to fund the 2012 budgets, and that Mr Maina had also provided intelligence that helped the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to recover about N1.3 trillion in looted funds.

     

    The witness who owned Crincad & Cari Nigeria Ltd said to have been engaged by the Mr Maina-led PRTT for consultancy services, tendered three documents in the course of his testimony but none had to do with his claims against EFCC and its former acting chairman, Ibrahim Magu.

     

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the documents tendered by the witness were: a court judgment delivered by Adamu Bello, an EFCC memo, and a letter of appointment from the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF).

     

    ‘No documentary evidence tendered against EFCC, Magu’

    Fielding questions from EFCC’s lawyer, Mr Abubakar, on Friday, the witness conceded that he did not tender any document to back his claim that Mr Maina, in 2016, gave an intelligence report to the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the National Security Adviser in Dubai leading to the recovery of N1.3 trillion.

     

    He admitted that he did not tender a copy of the petition which he claimed to have sent to the AGF against EFCC and Mr Magu over their alleged mismanagement of recovered assets.

     

    Mr Ihuoma also confirmed that he did not tender any document to prove that his said petition led to the setting up of the Ayo Salami Judicial Commission of Inquiry that probed Mr Magu and the EFCC last year.

     

    “You claimed that Magu confessed before the panel to have mismanaged the property, but you did not tender the record of proceedings of the Salami panel to prove this,” Mr Abubakar said.

     

    Responding, the witness said, “Yes, I said the Salami panel indicted Magu but I have not tendered a document before the court.”

     

    No document to back ‘recoveries’ by PRTT

    The witness, who had said the PRTT recovered N181 billion in its first 11 months of operations, admitted that he did not tender any document to support the claim.

     

    He also agreed that he did not tender any document to back his testimony that Mr Maina’s task force recovered N282 billion within its first 18 months.

     

    When the EFCC lawyer asked him if he tendered a list of the 222 pieces of property and N1.63 trillion recovered before the court, Mr Ihuoma said, “I have not tendered a list of those pieces of 222 property in my evidence-in-chief for now.”

     

    In addition, he admitted that he had not produced the evidence to prove that the assets were valued at N1.63 trillion.

     

    “We have not tendered the document in a way,” he said.

     

    Asked if he had tendered any document to back his claim that N282 billion purportedly recovered by the PRTT was warehoused at Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the witness said, “It is not in contest, though I have not.”

     

     

    He also admitted that there was no document tendered in court by him to prove that N74 billion allegedly recovered by PTRT was used in funding the 2012 budget.

     

    He also confirmed that he did not tender any document to prove his claim that the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) ”commended the PRTT for the biometric data capturing of pensioners in the diaspora”.

     

    ‘Maina being persecuted’

    But, when asked by the prosecutor, the witness maintained that Mr Maina was being persecuted.

     

    He also stuck to his claims that EFCC mismanaged recovered assets without providing any document to back the claim.

     

    The judge, Okon Abang, adjourned till March 9 to 11 for further cross-examination of the defence witness.

     

    The EFCC had arraigned Mr Maina and his firm, Common Input Property and Investment Ltd on 12 counts of laundering about N2bill ion in pension funds.

     

    The defendants denied the charges.

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.premiumtimesng.com