N24bn Police Pension Scam: EFCC Tenders More Exhibits
The ongoing trial of seven
persons accused of complicity in the police pension scam, continued on
Wednesday, June 25, 2014 before Justice Hussein Baba Yusuf of the High
Court of the Federal Capital Territory,
Abuja.
The seven accused persons who
are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission are; Esai
Dangabar, Atiku Abubakar Kigo, Ahmed Inuwa Wada, Mrs. Veronica Ulonma
Onyegbula, Sani Habila Zira, Uzoma Cyril Attang and Christian Madubuke.
The accused persons, who
allegedly defrauded the Police Pension Office to the tune of N24billion, were
arraigned on April 10, 2013 on a 20-count amended charge that
borders on criminal breach of trust contrary to section 315 of the Penal code
Act Cap 532 Laws of the Federal Capital Territory,
Abuja, Nigeria 2007.
At the resumed hearing of the
case today, Mustapha Gadanya who was led in evidence by counsel to EFCC, Rotimi
Jacobs, SAN told the court that while investigating the matter, he requested e-payment
mandate and other payment instructions from the Police Pension Office. “In
response they brought along copies of payment instructions which explained the
transactions on the account apart from the cheques”, he said.
The letter of request emanating
from EFCC and the corresponding documents from First Bank of Nigeria Plc, duly certified
by staff of the Bank and the EFCC, were tendered in evidence.
However, the defence opposed
the admissibility of the documents from Police Pension Office to First Bank
Nigeria Plc, authorizing the transactions on the ground that, the Bank could
not certify a document that it did not generate.
Justice Baba-Yusuf admitted the
letters of request from the EFCC as Exhibits 7 A and B but agreed with the
defence that only the Police Pension Office can authenticate its documents.
Testifying further, Gadanya
told the court how EFCC investigation uncovered direct payment of allowances to
the accounts of staff of the Police Pension Office in contravention of the e –
payment circular. “We sent a letter to the Office of Accountant General to
confirm if there was an exemption to the Police Pension Office with regards to
e-payment, which they responded that they were not aware”, he stated. Copies of
the letter and the response from Accountant General were tendered and admitted
as Exhibit 8 A and B.
The prosecution also tendered
three letters from the EFCC requesting the Police Pension Office to furnish it
with vouchers, cashbooks and other accounting documents detailing the
withdrawals of cash within the period of 2009 to 2011; 2007 to 2008 as
exhibits. The response from the Police Pension Office to the request was
equally admitted as exhibits.
The defense led by Adegboyega
Awomolo, SAN however, kicked against the admissibility of one of the responses
dated January 6, 2014 claiming that it was a ploy to subvert the trial because
the date showed that, it was written in the course of the ongoing prosecution. However,
Jacobs argued that, the document does not violate the Evidence Act. He stated
further that, the letter is admissible as the person tendering it has no
personal or peculiar interest in the matter.
Justice Baba-Yusuf reserved
ruling for the admissibility of the letter of dated January 6, 2014 and titled,
"RE- Investigation Activities", to September 24, 2014.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head,
Media & Publicity
25th
June, 2014
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