Joy-Ochonu
Idoko, a prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of Peter Amromanoh, Executive Secretary Delta State Scholarship Board
and his accountant, Andrew Boji Nkwor
before Justice F. N Azinge of the Delta State High Court sitting in Asaba by
the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, today told the court how the
accused persons opened 28 fake bank accounts through which bursary payments
meant for bona fide students of Delta state origin were diverted.
At
the resumed hearing of the case Tuesday, the EFCC, through its counsel, Steve
Odiase, presented three witnesses: PW1, Chief Emmanuel Aworo, the software
engineer/consultant engaged by the board to computerize and automate its system
for easy access by all Delta students ; PW2, Eloho Otiede, a staff of Keystone
bank (former Bank PHB) and account officer of the first accused and the state
scholarship board, and PW3, Joy- Ochonu Idoko a Senior Detective Superintendent
with the EFCC.
While
being led in evidence by Odiase, Idoko told the court how investigation by the
Commission into a petition alleging fraud in the disbursement of Delta State
Scholarship funds, discovered that some of the touted beneficiaries were not
real. "In total about 3,567 names were found to be fake...from the banks
we discovered upon analyses that, about N1.55billion and some fractions was
released to the board by the Delta state government, N771.7m was disbursed to
benefiting students as bursary. About N38.7m was said to have been expended for
administrative purposes, while N24m could not be accounted for," Idoko
revealed.
Investigations
also revealed a flurry of activity in the personal account of the first accused
domiciled in same bank within the period of 2009-2012, with withdrawals to the
tune of N24 million through his account officer Eloho and cash deposits of about
N19million.
Amromanoh could also, not explain investments running into millions fixed in joint account with his wife as the later claimed she was not aware of the fixed deposit in their names. Amromanoh’s earnings as revealed by his pay slips which were tendered in evidence could not explain the source of the funds in question.
Amromanoh could also, not explain investments running into millions fixed in joint account with his wife as the later claimed she was not aware of the fixed deposit in their names. Amromanoh’s earnings as revealed by his pay slips which were tendered in evidence could not explain the source of the funds in question.
Prosecution
tendered and the court admitted in evidence, despite vigorous objections from
APA Ogefere counsel to the accused persons, various documents which includes;
Statements of the accused persons, letters sent to various institutions
(University of Port Harcourt, Adekunle Ajasin University, Delta State
University, Universities of Benin & Maiduguri, Federal Polytechnic Offa, and
the Institute of Management Technology, Enugu) and their responses.
Justice Azinge then adjourned the hearing to December 9, 2015.
Justice Azinge then adjourned the hearing to December 9, 2015.
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