An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) operative has instructed the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Top Court docket in Abuja how the company arrested two males accused of posing as officers of the fee to acquire $700,000 from former Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) managing director, Mohammed Bello-Koko.
In line with a commentary shared by means of the EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale on Wednesday, Tanko Abubakar, the second one prosecution witness, testified within the trial of Ojobo Joshua and Aliyu Hashim.
The EFCC alleges that the defendants instructed Mr Bello-Koko that his tenure as NPA managing director was once beneath investigation and demanded $1 million to forestall the probe.
They allegedly claimed the cash was once required by means of EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede and the fee’s director of operations. The volume was once ultimately decreased to $700,000, in keeping with the prosecution.
The defendants were arraigned on 13 November 2024 and pleaded now not in charge, in keeping with TransparencIT, a platform that tracks corruption circumstances in Nigeria. They face amended 4 fees of impersonation, conspiracy and acquiring cash by means of false pretence.
The defendants allegedly threatened Mr Bello-Koko with arrest and prosecution if he refused to cooperate, whilst claiming they might safe a “comfortable touchdown” for him via Mr Olukoyede.
Mr Abubakar instructed the courtroom that he was concerned within the investigation in 2024 after the EFCC’s Abuja zonal director won intelligence that the defendants had been making an attempt to defraud the previous NPA managing director.
“The Abuja zonal director knowledgeable me that there’s an intelligence that the primary and 2nd defendants had been making an attempt to defraud the previous MD, NPA, Muhammad Bello-Koko within the sum of $one million and some of the suspects claiming to be a non-public assistant to the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede,” he stated.
The witness, who is hooked up to the fee’s Land and Assets Phase in Ibadan, Oyo State, said that Mr Bello-Koko instructed him that Mr Hashim had claimed to grasp the individual posing because the EFCC chairman’s aide.
Mr Bello-Koko due to this fact presented him to Mr Hashim, whom he contacted in August 2024 to speak about the topic.
Mr Abubakar stated Mr Hashim invited him to Crystal Palace Lodge on Gimbiya Boulevard, House 11, Abuja, the place he was once instructed they might meet Mr Joshua. They later met on the Legislative Quarters in Apo, the place Mr Joshua arrived in two cars.
In line with the witness, Mr Joshua requested whether or not Mr Hashim had instructed him how a lot was once had to finish the purported investigation.
“The primary defendant instructed me and Koko to deliver $one million. I pleaded with him that we can not lift such an quantity,” Mr Abubakar instructed the courtroom.
He stated he presented $300,000, however Mr Joshua rejected it. A next be offering of $500,000 was once additionally grew to become down ahead of Mr Hashim persuaded Mr Joshua to just accept $700,000, the witness stated.
Mr Abubakar stated he reported the settlement to his zonal director, who assembled an investigative workforce comprising him, Hakeem Lasisi, Abdulhamid Wodi and Olalekan Ogunjobi.
On 28 August 2024, he knowledgeable the defendants that he had returned from Kaduna with the cash and was once heading to the EFCC headquarters to ship it. Mr Joshua as a substitute directed him to fulfill at an A.A. Rano filling station alongside Lugbe Highway, Abuja.
The witness said that Mr Joshua arrived in a Hilux and some other SUV, with 3 armed cell law enforcement officials within the Hilux. Mr Hashim additionally arrived, however the EFCC workforce may now not make an arrest as a result of its operatives on the scene had been unarmed, he stated.
Mr Abubakar stated he contacted his administrative center, which mobilised armed team of workers for some other strive.
He later instructed Mr Hashim that the cash was once able and was once directed to fulfill him at Crystal Palace Lodge. After Mr Joshua failed to reply to his calls, the witness despatched him a textual content message confirming that the cash was once to be had. Mr Joshua due to this fact known as and directed him to fulfill Mr Hashim.
ALSO READ: EFCC, Emefiele differ over evidence in alleged fraudulent $6.23m CBN withdrawal, contract fraud trial
Mr Abubakar stated he drove to Gimbiya Boulevard and confirmed Mr Hashim the bag containing the cash. EFCC operatives then moved in and arrested him.
He famous that Mr Hashim to start with denied understanding Mr Joshua’s place of dwelling however later led the operatives there after Mr Joshua asked a video name to substantiate that the cash was once able.
In line with the witness, Mr Joshua’s spouse allowed the operatives into the home, the place they discovered him inside of his retailer and arrested him. Each males had been taken to the EFCC headquarters.
Prosecution legal professional Elizabeth Alabi instructed the courtroom that Hakeem Lasisi, the witness at the beginning scheduled to testify, was once unavailable as a result of he was once on an respectable project outdoor the rustic. The courtroom allowed Mr Abubakar to testify in his position.
The trial pass judgement on Jude Onwuegbuzie adjourned the case till Thursday (nowadays), for continuation of the trial.
Uncover extra from Top class Occasions Nigeria
Subscribe to get the newest posts despatched on your e-mail.