The trial of the former Head of Service of the Federation, Stephen Orosanye continued on Wednesday at the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court.
The prosecution witness who is an account officer and staff of Access bank, Olubunmi Ojoko narrated how Orosanye allegedly opened a secret account with the bank without the approval of the Accountant General of the Federation.
Ojoko alleged that Orosanye used the account to divert the sum of N190m while he was the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Financial Action Task Force.
She said, “Oronsaye called me that he needed to open an account on behalf of the Presidential Committee on Financial Action Task Force.
“I met him at his residence in Asokoro, where I handed him the documents for the account, including the Access Bank account opening request of the committee signed by him, his passport photograph, copy of his passport and documents that set up the committee by the then Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
“I scrutinised the documents and discovered that the Accountant-General of the Federation’s approval was not included. So I asked him for it and he said it was not necessary. I asked for the Accountant-General of the Federation’s approval because it is needed when opening a government account. Since he said that it wasn’t necessary, I took him by his word.
“I took the documents to the bank and the account was opened.”
According to Ojoko, the money was placed in fixed deposit for 90 days maturity, adding that at each maturity, the interest accrued was sent to some beneficiaries, including Oronsaye.
Oronsaye is standing trial on a 2-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and diversion of N190 million meant for the Presidential Committee on Financial Action Task Force.
The prosecution witness told the court that the sum of N285 million was deposited in the said account in four tranches of N50 million, N90 million, N45 million and N100 million.
She said the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, did the first to third stages of the payment while the last was from the office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA.
The witness revealed that 28 investments were made during the period and from September, 2013 to March 2015, Orosanye withdrew about N35.4 million from the account.
She stated that N163.5 million left in the account had been transferred to the Treasury Single Account.
Ojoko tendered documents relating to the opening of the account, account statements and transactions to the court.
Counsel to the former Head of Service, Kanu Agabi urged the Justice Olasumbo Goodluck-led court to grant him more time to study all documents tendered so as to cross examine the witness.
Justice Goodluck consequently adjourned the case till April 14 for continuation of cross examination.
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