Proceedings in the trial of former Imo
State governor, Ikedi Ohakim, before Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the
Federal High Court Abuja, resumed
Tuesday, October 20, 2015, with the prosecution witness giving a blow-by-blow
account of how the former governor allegedly made a cash payment of $2,
290,000.00, for a piece
of land at Plot No. 1098 Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro District, otherwise known
as No.60, Kwame Nkurumah Street, Asokoro, Abuja.
Justice Ademola had admitted Ohakim to
bail on Thursday, July 9, 2015, following his arraignment on Wednesday, July 8,
2015 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a three-count
charge bordering on money laundering.
At today’s hearing, prosecution
witness, Ishaya Dauda, said
investigation into the alleged offence began in 2010, after the Commission
received petitions coupled with intelligence reports.
Led in evidence by the prosecution
counsel, Festus Keyamo, Dauda, a Senior Detective Superintendent, SDS, with the
EFCC, said the accused person, who served as Imo State governor between 2007
and 2011, was invited to the EFCC office in 2013.
‘‘I gave him the petitions to go
through and asked him if he would be willing to volunteer statement or not and
he answered in the affirmative. I then admiistered the word of caution
and EFCC statement form on him. I also asked him whether he understood the word
of caution and he said yes; then, he signed the form, indicating that he
understood the word of caution,’’ he told the court.
According to him, the accused person
was given the EFCC Asset Declaration form to fill, in addition to his
statements that were obtained five times between 2013 and 2015.
Copies of the five statements,
which were obtained on January 25, 2013; January 31, 2013; June 18, 2015; June
22, 2015 and June 29, 2015, were tendered and admitted in evidence as exhibits
EFCC 1 to five.
Giving further evidence, Dauda said the
accused person made copious statements regarding the said property.
‘‘Working on the intelligence reports
at our disposal, after the accused person had declared his assets, it was
discovered that there was no banking transaction for the purchase of the
property. We found out that only cash payment was made in respect of the
property. So, we took the accused person to the property. When we brought
him back to our office, we asked him who owns the property and he said he
rented the property through one Abu Sule, Managing Director, Tweeenex
Consociate H.D. Limited.’’
However, the prosecution witness
said Abu Sule, who initially denied ownership of the property during
interrogation by the EFCC, said the accused person gave him $2.2million, which
was equivalent of N270m at as that time, in one payment.
‘‘Abu Sule said he bought the property
from one Alhaji Isah Muntair Maidabino. He also said after receiving the money
from the accused person at the Imo State Government House in Asokoro, Abuja on
a certain night, he made the cash payment to Alhaji Issa Muntair-Maidabino,” he
added.
Both the accused person and Abu Sule
were said to have entered into a tenancy agreement, so as to give the
impression that the former had rented the property from Tweeenex Consociate
H.D. Limited.
He added: ‘‘Abu Sule also said the
accused person issued a Fidelity Bank cheque for N20m as rent for two years.
He, however, said that he used the money to renovate the property and another
property in Asokoro.’’
Dauda further told the court that
Muntair-Maidabino, during interrogation, confirmed receipt of cash payment to
the tune of $2.2million from Sule.
According to him, when the accused
person was confronted with the disclosure by Abu Sule, he owned up to the
ownership of the property.
He said both the accused person and
Sule were later invited to the EFCC office, where they disagreed on the mode of
payment. While the accused person claimed he made the payment in
instalments, Sule debunked that statement, saying that he( the accused person)
made cash payment to him.
Justice Ademola has fixed November 12
and 13, 2015 for cross examination and further hearing.
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