Suswam paid N3.11bn into my account
Fri May 06, 2016 03:01:pm National
2.2K By sosa hills
A witness, Mr Abubakar Umar, told a Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday that he converted the sum N3.111 billion into $15.8 cash and handed it over to the immediate past Governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam.
Suswam and his former Finance Commissioner, Mr Omadachi Oklobia, are being prosecuted by the Federal Government over alleged diversion of the proceeds of the sale of shares owned by the state government and Benue Investment and Property Company Limited totaling into N3.111 billion.
Abubakar, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission's fourth prosecution is witness in Suswam's ongoing trial, said this while he was being led in examination in chief by the prosecution's lead Counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN).
The witness, who is a Bureau de change operator, said Suswam authorised the payment of several sums of money into his bank account between the months of August and October in 2014 which were all converted into United States dollars and handed over to him.
Giving vivid details of how the funds were paid into his bank account in five tranches, Abubakar disclosed: "In August 2014, Governor Gabriel Suswam called me to his Maitama home in Abuja and asked me to give a lady my bank account details.
"Thereafter, the sum of N413 million was paid into my account. On September 12 2014, two payments were made into my account: N360 and N637 million (N1 billion) respectively.
"On October 13, 2014, N630 was deposited into my account. Thereafter, N18 million also deposited in the account.
"Then on 17 October, 2014, the sum of N1.68 billion was paid into my account, which I equally converted same into US dollars as requested by Suswam."
The witness trading under the name Fanfash Resources Ltd, however, gave contradictory accounts of where the converted funds were handed over to Suswam.
Curiously, Abubakar, while testifying yesterday, said he delivered the converted monies to the embattled Suswam at his Maitama residence in Abuja, only to turn around and say he gave the money to the former governor at the Benue State Government House in Makurdi.
Suswam and his former Finance Commissioner, Mr Omadachi Oklobia, are being prosecuted by the Federal Government over alleged diversion of the proceeds of the sale of shares owned by the state government and Benue Investment and Property Company Limited totaling into N3.111 billion.
Abubakar, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission's fourth prosecution is witness in Suswam's ongoing trial, said this while he was being led in examination in chief by the prosecution's lead Counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN).
The witness, who is a Bureau de change operator, said Suswam authorised the payment of several sums of money into his bank account between the months of August and October in 2014 which were all converted into United States dollars and handed over to him.
Giving vivid details of how the funds were paid into his bank account in five tranches, Abubakar disclosed: "In August 2014, Governor Gabriel Suswam called me to his Maitama home in Abuja and asked me to give a lady my bank account details.
"Thereafter, the sum of N413 million was paid into my account. On September 12 2014, two payments were made into my account: N360 and N637 million (N1 billion) respectively.
"On October 13, 2014, N630 was deposited into my account. Thereafter, N18 million also deposited in the account.
"Then on 17 October, 2014, the sum of N1.68 billion was paid into my account, which I equally converted same into US dollars as requested by Suswam."
The witness trading under the name Fanfash Resources Ltd, however, gave contradictory accounts of where the converted funds were handed over to Suswam.
Curiously, Abubakar, while testifying yesterday, said he delivered the converted monies to the embattled Suswam at his Maitama residence in Abuja, only to turn around and say he gave the money to the former governor at the Benue State Government House in Makurdi.
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