The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is planning to amend the four-count charge on which former Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Peoples Democratic Party, Haliru Bello and his son, Abba Bello, are being tried.
This followed the discovery of a separate N300 million lodgment in their company’s account.
Bello, his son, Abba and their firm – BAM Project and Property Limited – were on January 5, this year, arraigned on the four-count charge of money laundering involving N300 million security fund, which they allegedly received from the office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
At the continuation of proceedings yesterday, a prosecution witness, Rouqayyat Ibrahim, resumed her testimony and disclosed that investigation has further revealed that Bello received another N300 million from the ONSA in two tranches of N150 million each.
She said the two N150 million transactions, which were said to have been carried out on the same day on February 27, 2015, were not captured in the four counts pending against the accused persons.
Led in evidence by prosecution witness, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), Ibrahim said the newly discovered N300 million was transferred to BAM Project and Properties Limited from the account of Jabbamer Ada Global Services Limited on the instruction of the then Minister for State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda.
She said before the discovery of the N300 million payment, Jabbamer was already being investigated for about N1.5 billion it had received from the ONSA.
”The analysis of the statement of account of BAM Project with Sterling Bank revealed that the account received a total of N300 million in two tranches of N150 million each on February 27, 2015. On that day (February 27, 2015), transfers of N150 million and another N150 million were made into the account of BAM Projects with Sterling Bank.
“Before then, we already investigated Jabbamer Ada Global Services Limited in a different matter. We discovered that Jabbamer Ada Global Services Limited was a bureau de change firm and that the company received payments of a little over N1.5 billion from the ONSA. The company also received payments from the Nigerian Air Force and the Accountant General of the Federation’s office and several other sources.
“We interviewed the owner of the company and account and he stated that all the deposits I mentioned earlier (into Jabbamer Ada) were made on the instructions of the former Minister of State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda, and that the disbursement of the funds were on his (Bashir Yuguda’s) instructions, including the transfer of N300 million which he made to BAM was on Bashir Yuguda’s instruction.
“He (Yuguda) is currently standing trial in court in respect of the same matter. Effectively, the complaint against the defendants is with respect to N600 million. They (the defendants) said they used it for PDP 2015 election,” the witness said.
The prosecution tendered, through the witness, documents relating to transactions in the account of the ONSA with the Central Bank of Nigeria and other documents.
The trial resumes on March 3 when the defence would be expected to cross-examine the witness.
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