By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
Senior Correspondent
More facts emerged on Thursday, June 29 on how former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke used the money she deposited with Fidelity Bank Plc to compromise electoral officers across the country.
Head of Operations of the bank, Timothy Olaobaju had told the court on Wednesday, June 29 that the disbursement he carried out at the Ilorin, Kwara State branch of Fidelity Bank was at the instance of the Managing Director, Nnamdi Okonkwo and Mrs. Alison-Madueke, both of who knew the purpose of the money kept in the bank.
Another prosecution witness, Usman Zakari, an operative with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), who also testified Thursday before Justice Mohammed Idris of Federal High Court Lagos said that some officials of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) received about N264.8 million to rig the 2015 general elections.
Zakari was testifying at the resumed trial of INEC officials Christian Nwosu, Yisa Adedoyin, and Tijani Bashir who are standing trial on charges of corruption and undue enrichment.
Adedoyin had however, pleaded guilty to the charges and was convicted following a plea bargain.
Olaobaju, who was head of operations of Fidelity Bank in Ilorin, had told the court that he paid Nwosu and Adedoyin the money in cash according to instructions of Mrs. Alison-Madueke.
Said Olaobaju: “I was the Head of Operations for Ilorin Branch. I had cause to meet Nwosu and Adedoyin. Sometime in 2015, there was a meeting between our Managing Director and former Petroleum Minister during which she explained that some companies and individuals would come to the bank to pay some money into some accounts.
“There was an instruction that Nwosu and Adedoyin be paid N264, 880,000. The instruction came from the head office based on instruction from Mrs. Alison-Madueke and they were paid. They signed a receipt of payment for the money they collected.
“After the defendants were paid, they left with the cash and did not pay it into any account.”
Led in evidence on Thursday by EFCC prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo, the witness told the court that sometime in 2016, the commission received intelligence that Mrs. Allison-Madueke, was gratified to the tune of $115 million during the 2015 elections.
The witness testified that following the intelligence, the commission swung into investigations, and in the course of investigations it stumbled on receipts of payment of money.
According to the witness, it was discovered that the first accused (Nwosu) who was the Administrator of INEC in Kwara State at the time, signed for a payment of N264.8million, money domiciled at Fidelity, adding also that the receipt had the signature of Adedoyin.
Zakari said that it was based on the receipts of payment, that invitations were sent to the accused to appear before the commission.
He said: “During interrogation with Adedoyin who reported first to the commission, he told operatives that he signed for the money and handed same to Bashir for onward transmission to other staff.”
According to him, Adedoyin benefited N70million, Nwosu N30million, while the remaining funds were transferred to Bashir for onward payment to some ad-hoc staff.
Zakari added: “We have so far, recovered N10million from Adedoyin, N5million from Nwosu, as well as title document to landed properties purchased from crime proceeds.
“The source of these monies recovered from the accused, was from the gratification given to the then Minister of Petroleum, for purposes of “interfering” with the course of the 2015 general elections.
“After our interview with the accused at the commission, Nwosu stated that he benefited N30 million, while Adedoyin benefitted N70million and they both promised to return the money.
“Nwosu later made a payment of N4 million, and when he reported later to the commission, paid the balance of N1 million and submitted title document of landed properties acquired.”
He explained that payments and disbursements of these monies were carried out through Fidelity Bank.
During the course of the testimony by the witness, the prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo tendered a statement of the first accused in evidence but his move was opposed by defence counsel, Victor Opara, on the grounds that it was not voluntarily obtained.
He, therefore, prayed the court for a trial within trial, to test the voluntariness of the said statement.
Justice Idris then adjourned to October 13 for commencement of a trial within trial.
In the charge sheet, the prosecution alleged that the accused committed the offence on March 27, 2015 by accepting gratification from the former Petroleum Minister.
They were alleged to have conspired to take possession of the sum of about N264 million which sum they reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act of gratification.
The accused were also said to have made cash payments of the sum of about N235 million, which sum exceeded the amount authorised by Law, without going through a financial Institution.
EFCC alleged that Bashir also made a cash payment of about N70.1 million to Adedoyin without going through a financial institution and which sum exceeded the amount authorised by law.
The prosecution further alleged that Bashir directly took possession of the sum of about N165 million which sum he ought reasonably to have known, formed part of an unlawful act of gratification.
In count seven, Nwosu was alleged to have directly used the sum of N30 million which he ought to have known formed part of an unlawful act of gratification.
The offences are said to have contravened the provisions of sections 15 (3), 16 (2) and 18 (a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Amendment Act, 2012.
