The trial of a former governor of
Nasarawa State, Aliyu Akwe Doma, and two others continued on Wednesday, June
22, 2016 before Justice Agatha A. Okeke, with a prosecution witness, Ego
Maikeffi Abashe, the Clerk of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, revealing
how the former governor had allegedly diverted the sum of N350m from the state
funds.
Doma alongside Timothy Anthony
Anjide, a former Secretary to the State Government, and Dauda Egwa, a
former Accountant-General, are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a 10-count charge bordering on money laundering and
financial crimes.
The
accused persons between January, 2007 and December, 2009 allegedly conspired
and fraudulently laundered state funds to the tune of N8bn, an offence
contrary to Section 14(1)(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act
2004 and punishable under section 14(1) of the same Act.
At the resumed hearing today, Abashe
told the court there was no approval or record by the House of Assembly for the
sum of N350 million allegedly disbursed under the title of ‘‘special
releases’’.
Abashe, who was led in
evidence by Kemi Phinheiro, SAN, also told the court that the State House of
Assembly did not initiate the disbursement of N70 million as shown to him in
exhibit 23aa-cc.
He added: ‘‘I can’t recall the
disbursements of N80 million as shown in exhibit 23ca; N150 million as
shown in exhibit 23ab and N120 million as shown in exhibit 23ba, as there
was no record or memo initiated for such releases; and there was no cheque
raised for special releases in the office of the House of Assembly.’’
Abashe, who stated that he was
familiar with the records of the House of Assembly even before becoming the Clerk,
added that ‘‘ for additional funding, which is not captured by the budget, the
Clerk will put out a memo endorsed by the Speaker of the House of Assembly and
addressed to the State Executive (Governor). The Governor would approve
the memo, which would be conveyed to the House of Assembly and then taken to
the Office of the Accountant- General for a cheque to be released.’’
According to him, funding of the
House of Assembly is initiated by a memo and not by any other means.
While being cross-examined by A. F.
Yusuf regarding the disbursements, he said that he was not the Clerk as at the
time the disbursements were carried out.
He, however, said the procedures for
disbursement were the same and were all in the files.
Still testifying, he said: ‘‘Monies
meant for security matters are not addressed to the Clerk or channelled to the
Clerk, as security matters are not discussed in the House of Assembly.’’
Another prosecution witness,
Abubakar Sadiq Ishaq, Permanent Secretary, Bureau for Cabinet Affairs and
Special Services, presented two documents titled: Expenditure Needs for the
Nasarawa State Public Services and Part of Nasarawa State Executive
Council Convention, which were tendered and admitted as exhibit P30 and
P31, respectively.
He told the court that the
documents were to guide government officials, ministries, departments and
agencies particularly in areas of finances.
Ishaq, who was formerly a director
in the same office, said: “It was proposed that the governor could not make
expenditure above N50m. However, the Governor can expend any amount and
later make ratification provided that the expenditure was done in the interest
of the state and in accordance with due process.’’
When Ishaq was presented with
exhibit P20, which was an approval for N496 million initiated by the Office of
the Secretary to the State government, he told the court that there was no ratification
by State executive council for it.
Also, going through
exhibit P23 (cc), which was the approval granted by Doma for N150 million and P23 (ba) for N120
million , he told the court there was no directive to the State executive for
ratification and he did not receive any ratification for it either.
The case has been adjourned to June 23, 2016 for continuation of trial
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