Abu Sule, an architect, has told Justice Adeniyi Ademola of an Abuja Federal High Court, how Ikedi Ohakim, former governor of Imo State, bought a property worth $2.3 million by proxy.
Sule made the revelation at the continuation of trial while being cross-examined by Awa Kalu, counsel to Ohakim.
Sule, when asked if he knew that one Isah Maidabunu, who the house was bought from, had dealings with Unity Bank, he responded saying that: “I cannot confirm the reason he wanted to sell his house.”
On the payment for the said property located at No 60, Kwame Nkrumah Street, Asokoro, Abuja, Sule said $2.3 million cash was given to him in a Ghana must go bag in $100 bills, which he did not count since Ohakim did not request for it at the point of receipt.
He affirmed carrying the money to Unity Bank, Maitama, and it was there he handed over the money to Maidabunu who issued a deed of consignment but not receipt on the cash given to him.
He also confirmed that sometime in 2008, Ohakim had approached him to get him somewhere habitable. In two separate statement made to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the PW 2, Sule stated that the cash sum he received between September and October 2008, was for the purpose of buying property for the defendant.
Even though he could not confirm the payment of N177,572.50 as ground rent to the Abuja Geographical Information Systems (AGIS) and N4,129,000 by Maidabunu as title regularisation on November 14, 2008, Sule however confirmed that Ahmed Uwais and co had earlier offered to purchase the property for the sum of N270 million.
Maidabunu was also said to have on the same date written the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to assign the property in question to Tweenex Consociate Limited and also appointed the powers of attorney, while deed of assignment was also executed between Maidabunu and Tweenex.
But on October 6, 2009, Maidabunu, through a letter requested Unity Bank to issue a deed of release on the said property.
Sule in his cross-examination confirmed that the property was as of the said date encumbered by Unity Bank, stating, “We had some problems with Alhaji Maidabinu as regards the property.”
While recounting how he collected the $2.3 million in cash and kept in the boot of his car overnight, Sule further confirmed that Tweenex Consociate Limited was the registered owner of the property.
Having been discharged from the witness box, the prosecution, Festus Keyamo, led in the prosecution witness 3, Isah Maidabunu, who the said property was bought from.
Maidabinu, a director in the office of the Head of Service and director of programmes at the National Institute of Public Service, said he made move to sell his property in 2008, to which he got a lot of offers but sold it to Sule because his, was the highest bid.
“I got the money at Unity Bank, Maitama, and gave the money to my manager. He (Sule) brought a prepared deed of attorney in the name of a company, Tweenex, which we signed,” he said.
Maidabinu stated during cross-examination that: “after a long break of 15 years, I was brought back to service in 2013 and straight to the office of the Head of Service in 2013. I was deputy director at the Presidential Villa during the interim, I was rolled into the 1998 Diya coup, I was tried and jailed.”
He emphatically stated when asked how much he was earning then that: “I bought a land and finished building the house by 1997, after which the allegation of coup arose. I did not use my salary to build the house. My father died then and bequeathed some money to me, which I used part of it to build the house.”
He however made a startling revelation when he was asks if he knew Ohakim, who was sitting in the accused box, that: “I saw him first time, at the last time when we were leaving court, and did not even know he was the one until I saw the proceedings on TV.”
Having finished with the third prosecuting witness, the court adjourned the matter till May 5, 2016 for continuation of trial.
Ohakim is standing trial over alleged fraudulent payment for Plot No. 1098 Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro District, otherwise known as No. 60, Kwame Nkuruma Street, Asokoro, Abuja.
