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A prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of the former Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam and two others for allegedly diverting about N10bn meant for the SURE-P programme of the former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, narrated to the astonishment of the court, how the defendants blew the amount in piece meal.
When the matter came up yesterday, at a Federal High Court, Abuja, the prosecution counsel, Aminu Kayode Alilu sought to tender some documents through the second prosecution witness, Chogah Terse, but was vehemently opposed by the defence counsel, who argued that the documents sought to be tendered were not front loaded in the proof of evidence as prescribed by the Evidence Act.
Among the documents, the prosecution sought to tender, was a letter of approval of the sum of N450m for ten months arrears of over head cost of the Benue State Government House.
Following objections by the defence to the admissibility of the document, Alilu prayed the court for an adjournment to enable him to the needful in the tendering of the documents.
The trial Judge, Justice Kolawole granted the prayers and adjourned till May 10, 2018 for further trial.
Earlier, testifying, the witness, Terse, who said he is a cashier in the Benue State government house, with a schedule of duty like that of a messenger, said N450m was withdrawn from SURE-P account and used for purposes not connected with SURE-P project.
He told the court that the said money was used to pay for arrears of over head cost of the Benue State Government House.
The Federal Government is prosecuting Suswam, his Finance Commissioner, Omadachi Oklobia and Mrs. Janet Aluga, an Accountant with the Benue State Government House Administration under Suswam’s administratio.
They were, in the first charge of five counts, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/255/2015, accused of unlawfully transferring the fund from the Benue State SURE-P account numbers: 1013470079 and 0116099195 domiciled in Zenith and Guaranty Trust Banks.
In the second charge of four counts, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/256/2016, they were accused of unlawfully taking possession of the said fund.
Suswam, Oklobia and Mrs. Aluga are, in count one of the first charge, accused of conspiring to unlawfully transfer, “N8, 315,079,692.07 from the Benue State SURE-P account numbers: 1013470079 and 0116099195 domiciled in Zenith and Guaranty Trust banks to Government House Administration accounts number: 1010658643 and 0027952907 domiciled in
Zenith and Guaranty Trust bank and Ministry of Finance account number: 1013852648 domiciled in Zenith Bank, with intent to conceal the money, which you or reasonably ought to know forms part of the proceed of an unlawful act, to wit: fraud and corruption, offence contrary to Section 18 and punishable under 4ection 15 of the money laundering (prohibition) Act 2011”.
They are, in count two, accused of unlawfully transferring the amount in count one, and as such, committed an offence punishable under Section 15 of Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.
Felix Omohomhion, Abuja
