Atuche: EFCC’s witness denies claim of funding church

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Monday, produced one of its witnesses, Mr Bolaji Ogunsola, who had earlier alleged threat to his life, which led to series of adjournments before the court, to be cross examined by the defence in the ongoing trial of former Managing Director of Bank PHB (now Keystone Bank), Francis Atuche.
Ogunsola, who was the Deputy General Manager of Mortgages PHB, while being cross examined by Atuche’s counsel, Anthony Idigbe (SAN), told the court that he never said the former Managing Director, Atuche, gave money to his church in the village.
“I didn’t say the first defendant gave money to the church. What I said is that an instrument was given by Clearmont. There’s no e-mail that was issued by the first defendant and I didn’t confirm from him whether it was his instruction.”
Atuche, his wife, Elizabeth and former Chief Financial Officer in the bank, Ugo Anyanwu, are standing trial over allegation of stealing N27.5 billion belonging to the bank by the EFCC.
Ogunsola, who was being cross-examined before Justice Lateefa Okunnu of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, added that Atuche never issued a cheque for money to be paid to his church or his lawyer’s firm.
He explained that though he stated that Atuche was the sole signatory to the account in contention, his review of all accounts in Mortgages PHB revealed that there was no sufficient information to confirm that Atuche is the owner of the account.