Hamma Bello, a prosecution witness in the trial of a former Head of Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita, and her assistants, Ugbong Efiok, Garba Umar, has narrated before Justice Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, how the defendants diverted public funds into their private companies.
Oyo-Ita (the first defendant), alongside her special assistants, Ugbong Effiok (seventh defendant), and Garba Umar (fourth defendant) are facing criminal prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on 18 counts charges bordering on misappropriation, official corruption, money laundering, and criminal diversion of funds to the tune of over three billion naira (N3 billion).
Other defendants in the case include: Frontline Ace Global Services Limited, Asanaya Projects Limited, Slopes International Limited, U and U Global Services Ltd, Prince Mega Logistics Ltd, and Good Deal Investments.
The witness told the court that the former Head of Service, Winifred, used Slopes International Limited and Good Deal Investments Limited-fifth and sixth defendants respectively, to fraudulently award government contracts to herself through the fourth defendant, Garba Umar.
Hamma Bello, highlighted the deals as follows:
The first entry transaction of Good Deal Investment Limited, (the company which according to the witness was incorporated by Garba Umar with the full knowledge Oyo-Ita) was in February 2019 and it shows that fourty two million, seven hundred and fourty-eight thousand, two hundred and one Naira, fourty-seven kobo (N42,748, 201.47) was paid into the company’s Zenith Bank account.
Bello said, “We called for the account statements of these two companies, and upon analysing them, we realised that Garba Umar, the fourth defendant, was paid several sums of money from the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, where he is an employees.
The witness continues, “Upon interviewing the fourth defendant (Umar), he admitted that he was also a contractor and had paid the first defendant (Winifred Oyo-Ita) on several occasions from the proceeds of the transactions.
A transfer of Twenty million, two hundred and two thousand, one hundred and fourty-two naira (N20, 202, 142) was made in the name of Ibrahim Madu to the Zenith Bank account of Asanaya Projects Limited, another company registered with the knowledge of the first defendant, Oyo-Ita.
The witness stated that the mandate card of the account bears the signature and photo of the seventh defendant, Effiok, and upon investigation, approvals were granted and payments made to the seventh defendant either through his personal account or to the account of the company.
“The seventh defendant confirmed that the first defendant was aware of, and benefitted on several occasions from the funds received”, the witness added.
Based on the witness accounts, the account of U and U Global Services Limited was also opened by Ugbong Effiok, the seventh defendant.
Hamma Bello asserted that several payments were made into U and U Global Limited account between 2015 and 2018 in form of Duty Tour Allowances, Esta codes, and payments from the federal government were also made directly to the U and U Global Limited account
The witness cited an instance where the account received N40, 313, 453. 58, On March 24, 2016, the payment according to Bello was from the federal government.
Hamma Bello also tenders “Exhibit O” which contains details of Fidelity Bank account of Prince Mega Logistics Ltd.
According to the the exhibit, On March 27, 2018, and April 6, 2018, there were four financial entries which include: N4, 950 000; N3,946,000, N4,676,000 and N1,478,000, from Thomson Titus Okure.
Titus Okure used to be a colleague of the seventh defendant in the Account Department.
He (the witness) also revealed that there were outward payments to beneficiaries named as follows: Ignom, Minaro Blessing, Winifred Oyo-Ita, Olarenwaju Godman Olushola and the seventh defendant is the sole signatory of this account.
After the hearing, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, adjourned the case till April 30, 2024.
