The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday closed its case against former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole and his deputy, Usman Bayero Nafada.
The duo are facing a 17-count charge of criminal breach of trust, dishonest use of House bank account to obtain loan slammed on them by the EFCC before Justice Suleiman Belgore of Abuja High Court.
The agency yesterday presented three witnesses and one exhibit, bringing to 12 witnesses and 42 exhibits presented before the court.
The witnesses include Franklyn Onyesagbe; a civil servant and a principal administrative officer with the Federal Ministry of Finance.
He testified that in June, his office received a letter from EFCC requesting for the procedures for lending money by government agencies, which he said his office promptly responded to.
The response to the letter, which was signed by the Director General, Budget Office, was admitted in evidence and marked A42.
The Clerk of the National Assembly, Salisu Abubakar Maikasuwa and Rasheed Abdullahi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police on secondment to the EFCC also testified.
During cross examination, Maikasuwa confirmed that the House took the loans from UBA and First Bank.
He said the National Assembly operates three accounts: Senate account, House of Reps account and the Management account.
Maikasuw, however, confirmed that while the Speaker is the approving officer for the House of Reps accounts, no proceedings can take place if the Clerk does not append his signature.
Bankole’s counsel Wale Akanni (SAN) requested for the court proceedings to prepare for the defence.
The judge, however, asked him to apply to the Registrar.
The duo of Bankole and Nafada were arraigned on Monday, June 13, on a 17-count charge of criminal breach of trust, misappropriation and theft.
The accused allegedly shared the loan to members without the consent and approval of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) and the extant Revised Financial Regulations of the Federal Government of Nigeria, 2009.
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