The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Top Court docket in Abuja on Thursday admitted $100,000 in marked notes, 3 cellphones and a Toyota Prado SUV as reveals within the trial of 2 males accused of acquiring $700,000 from a former managing director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
The defendants, Ojobo Joshua and Aliyu Hashim, are being prosecuted by means of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly impersonating fee officers to acquire the cash from Muhammad Koko.
The EFCC alleged that Mr Joshua posed as the private assistant to its chairman, Ola Olukoyede, and labored with Mr Hashim to hold out the scheme.
Consistent with the fee in a observation on Thursday, the defendants advised Mr Koko that his tenure as NPA managing director was once beneath investigation and claimed that the EFCC chairman and the fee’s director of operations demanded $1 million to prevent the probe. The quantity was once later lowered to $700,000, the company alleged.
The defendants are going through amended 4 fees of conspiracy, impersonation and acquiring cash by means of false pretence.
At Thursday’s listening to, the second one prosecution witness, Tanko Abubakar, an EFCC operative, known the pieces recovered all through the investigation.
Mr Abubakar advised the court docket that investigators recorded Mr Hashim all through a video name with Mr Joshua through which he allegedly showed receiving the cash.
“My staff and I video-recorded the second one defendant when he was once making the video name with the primary defendant, telling the primary defendant that he had gathered the cash,” he mentioned.
The witness known a brown bag containing $100,000 in marked notes and a white flash force containing video recordings made all through the investigation, together with photos of the defendants giving statements on the EFCC headquarters.
He additionally known two Samsung telephones, a Galaxy Turn and a Galaxy Observe, allegedly recovered from Mr Hashim, and an iPhone 11 Professional Max recovered from Mr Joshua.
Mr Abubakar mentioned investigators additionally seized a black 2016 Toyota Prado SUV, with registration quantity GWA 666 EA, Abuja, from Mr Hashim. The automobile was once stored on the EFCC’s show off automobile park.
On Wednesday, Mr Abubakar told the court docket that the EFCC’s Abuja zonal director assembled an investigative staff after receiving intelligence that the defendants had been allegedly making plans to defraud Mr Koko.
He mentioned the defendants first of all demanded $1 million to prevent the purported investigation. Mr Joshua rejected provides of $300,000 and $500,000 earlier than Mr Hashim persuaded him to simply accept $700,000, the witness advised the court docket.
On 28 August 2024, operatives tried to arrest the suspects at an A.A. Rano filling station alongside Lugbe Street, Abuja, however may just no longer continue as a result of they had been unarmed.
Mr Abubakar mentioned that Mr Hashim was once later arrested at Crystal Palace Lodge after he confirmed him the bag containing the cash. Mr Joshua was once arrested at his place of dwelling after a video name was once made to substantiate that the cash was once able.
He mentioned Mr Hashim was once arrested at Crystal Palace Lodge in House 11, Abuja, whilst Mr Joshua was once later arrested at his place of dwelling.
The prosecution sought to soft the recovered pieces as proof. Whilst recommend to Mr Joshua, O. Nwosu, didn’t oppose their admission, recommend to Mr Hashim, M. B. Inuwa, raised objections.
After listening to the legal professionals, Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie admitted the pieces as reveals PW2A to PW2F. They comprised the Toyota Prado, the 3 telephones, the marked cash, the brown bag and the flash force.
The pass judgement on adjourned the case till 26 October for continuation of trial.
The defendants had been arraigned earlier than the similar court docket in November 2024. They pleaded no longer in charge to allegations that they impersonated EFCC officers to acquire cash from Mr Koko.
The trial has since proceeded with prosecution witnesses.
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