How ex-Nasarawa gov, Doma diverted N350m ---Witness
(Nigeria) The trial of a former governor of Nasarawa State, Aliyu Doma, and two others continued before Justice Agatha Okeke, with a prosecution witness, Ego Maikeffi Abashe, the Clerk of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, revealing how the former governor had allegedly diverted the sum of N350m from the state funds.
Doma alongside Timothy Anthony Anjide, a former Secretary to
the State Government, and Dauda Egwa, a former Accountant-General, are being
prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a 10-count
charge of money laundering and financial crimes.
The accused persons between January, 2007 and December, 2009
allegedly conspired and fraudulently laundered state funds to the tune of N8bn, an offence contrary to Section 14(1)(a)
of the Money Laundering (Prohibition)
Act 2004 and punishable under section 14(1) of the same Act.
At the resumed hearing today, Abashe told the court there
was no approval or record by the House of Assembly for the sum of N350 million
allegedly disbursed under the title of ‘‘special releases’’.
Abashe, who was led
in evidence by Kemi Phinheiro, SAN, also told the court that the State House of
Assembly did not initiate the disbursement of N70 million as shown to him in
exhibit 23aa-cc.
He added: ‘‘I can’t
recall the disbursements of N80 million as shown in exhibit 23ca; N150 million as shown in exhibit
23ab and N120 million as shown in exhibit 23ba,
as there was no record or memo initiated for such releases; and there
was no cheque raised for special releases in the office of the House of
Assembly.’’
Abashe, who stated that he was familiar with the records of
the House of Assembly even before becoming the Clerk, added that ‘‘ for
additional funding, which is not captured by the budget, the Clerk will put out
a memo endorsed by the Speaker of the House of Assembly and addressed to the state
executive (governor). The governor would
approve the memo, which would be conveyed to the House of Assembly and then
taken to the Office of the Accountant- General for a cheque to be
released.’’
According to him, funding of the House of Assembly is
initiated by a memo and not by any other means.
While being cross-examined by A. F. Yusuf regarding the
disbursements, he said that he was not the Clerk as at the time the
disbursements were carried out.
He, however, said the procedures for disbursement were the same
and were all in the files.
Still testifying, he said: ‘‘Monies meant for security
matters are not addressed to the Clerk or channelled to the Clerk, as security
matters are not discussed in the House of Assembly.’’
Another prosecution witness, Abubakar Ishaq, Permanent
Secretary, Bureau for Cabinet Affairs and Special Services, presented two
documents titled: Expenditure Needs for the Nasarawa State Public Services and
Part of Nasarawa State Executive Council Convention, which were tendered and
admitted as exhibit P30 and P31, respectively.
He told the court that the documents were to guide
government officials, ministries, departments and agencies particularly in
areas of finances.
Ishaq, who was formerly a director in the same office, said:
“It was proposed that the governor could not make expenditure above N50m.
However, the governor can expend any
amount and later make ratification provided that the expenditure was done in
the interest of the state and in accordance with due process.’’
When Ishaq was presented with exhibit P20, which was an
approval for N496 million initiated by the Office of the Secretary to the State
government, he told the court that there was no ratification by State executive
council for it.
Also, going through exhibit P23 (cc), which was the
approval granted by Doma for N150
million and P23 (ba) for N120 million , he told the court there was no
directive to the State executive for ratification and he did not receive any ratification
for it either.
The case has been adjourned to June 23, 2016 for
continuation of trial.
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