The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) reopened its case against a former Governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu, yesterday by presenting fresh documents at the Federal High Court in Minna, Niger State to establish the complicity of the defendant in a case of alleged money laundering.
The EFCC also presented a prosecution witness, Nma Abubakar Mohammed, who testified that the former governor made withdrawals of N10 million in eighty places using the account of a private investment company.
Mohammed, a branch head of Zenith Bank situated at Paiko Road, Minna, Niger State, told the court that the defendant made withdrawals of 10million naira each in eighty places using the account of I.D Sabin Investment Limited.
Led in evidence by Ben Ikani, counsel to the EFCC, Mohammed, said he was invited by the EFCC sometime in June 2014 to clarify some transactions on the account of I.D Sabin Investment Limited, an account owned by Saidu Nma-Aba Idris.
According to the witness, I.D Sabin Investment met all the requirements for opening an account with his bank.
When asked to tell the court about the inflows into to the account, Mohammed said, “Going through the statements of account, there were withdrawals of 10million naira each in eighty places and some other withdrawals”.
But Aliyu’s lawyer, Olajide Ayodele, faulted all the documents and objected to their admissibility on the ground that they did not satisfy the provisions of Section 104 Subsection (1) (2) and (3) of the Evidence Act.
After listening to the arguments from the lawyers, the trial judge, Justice Yellin Bogoro held that some of the documents were inadmissible because they had no proper certification from appropriate authorities. Other documents were, however, admitted as exhibits.
The matter has been adjourned to April 10 for the continuation of trial
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