Crime
Alleged $6b Mambila Project Fraud: Witness On How N5.2m Was Wired To Agunloye
Adewale Agunbiade, a prosecuting witness in the trial of former Minister of Power and Steel, Olu Agunloye, has told the Federal Capital Territory High Court, sitting in Apo, Abuja, how the defendant allegedly received N5.2million from Jide Sotirin Abiodun, a staff of Sunrise Power and Transmission Ltd in multiple transfers and Automated Teller Machine (ATM), withdrawals.
Agunbiade gave the account on Monday, September 23, 2024, before Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie.
The witness, a Compliance Officer, formerly with Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), but now with Jaiz Bank Plc, while being led in his examination-in-chief, by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, disclosed that “On October 2022, GTB received an investigation activity inquiry from EFCC in respect of the account of two customers, Mr Olu Agunloye and Mr Jide Sotinri. My team received the requests on behalf of the bank, following which I generated the statement of account via the system used by me at the time. I also prepared the Certificate of Identification, following my review of the statement against the records of the bank. I cosigned the cover letter of the responses.”
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Upon identifying and confirming the letters from EFCC in respect of the said accounts, marked Exhibit 1a and 2a and GTB’s responses marked Exhibit 2a and 2b, “On page two of Exhibit 2b is the statement of Jide Sotirin Abiodun and the Certificate of Identification prepared by me on the statement of the account. On the 10th of September 2019, there were six transactions. The last five transactions were ATM cash withdrawals of N30,000 (Thirty Thousand Naira) each. The last transaction on 10 August 2019 was a transfer of N3,600,000.00 (Three Million, Six Hundred Thousand Naira) from Sotirin Jide Abiodun to Olu Agunloy”, he said.
Speaking further, he disclosed that “As of 22 October 2019, a record of N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) was transferred from Sotirin Jide Abiodun to Olu Agunloye. On 13 November 2019, a record of N1, 121,000 (One Million One Hundred and Twenty-one Thousand Naira) from Leno in favour of Agunloye Olu from Jide Sotirin. Exhibit 1b is an account opening belonging to Agunloye Olu. On 10 August 2019 was an inward transfer of N3,600,000.00 (Three Million, Six Hundred Thousand Naira) from Sotinrin Jide Abiodun. On 22 October 2019, there was an inflow of N500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) from Sotirin Jide Abiodun. Also on 13th November 2019 was an inflow of N1, 121,000 (One Million One Hundred and Twenty-one Thousand Naira) in favour of Agunloye Olu from Jide Sotirin.”
The case was adjourned till October 21, 2024 for cross-examination.
Agunloye is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on seven-count charges, bordering on official corruption and fraudulent award of the Mambilla Power Project contract to the tune of $6billion (Six Billion US Dollars) to Sunrise Power and Transmission Ltd.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has taken into custody former Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku in connection with an alleged fraudulent scheme involving N27 billion.
According to reports, Ishaku’s arrest follows an extensive investigation into financial irregularities during his tenure as governor.
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The anti-graft agency alleges that Ishaku mismanaged state funds, diverting billions for personal gain.
More to follow………
Folakemi Falana, daughter of human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has issued a threat to social media critic, VeryDarkMan for failing to retract alleged defamatory statements made about her family members.
She made the threat in an Instagram post on Friday, while denying bribery and corruption allegations against her father, Falana and her brother, singer Falz.
Recall that embattled crossdresser Bobrisky was sentenced to six months in prison on April 12, 2024, following his involvement in the abuse of the Nigerian currency, the naira.
BIZTELLERS reports that VeryDarkMan on Tuesday September 24, 2024, released a leaked voice recording of Bobrisky claiming that Falz contacted him about obtaining a presidential pardon for him through his father, Femi Falana.
According to the leaked audio, Bobrisky further stated that Femi Falana negotiated a settlement of N10 million for the case.
Reacting to the controversial claims on Wednesday, Falz denied the allegation, noting that Bobrisky only contacted him to seek financial assistance of N3 million to pay some officials for him to stay in the VIP section of the Correctional Centre.
Falz and his father, through Falana and Falana’s Chambers, issued VeryDarkMan a 24-hour ultimatum to retract his comments.
Responding to the ultimatum in a video on social media, VeryDarkMan explained that he never defamed the duo, noting that he only reacted to the leaked audio he shared on his platform.
However, reacting to VeryDarkMan’s response to the ultimatum, Folakemi Falana in an Instagram post, shared that Falana & Falana Chambers have been providing free legal support for individuals seeking presidential pardons since 2016.
While expressing her disappointment over the development, Folakemi wrote: “My Parents and our firm, Falana & Falana have been applying for presidential pardons for Nigerians FREE way before a lot of you were born or could talk.
“It’s even crazier that all it takes is for a ridiculous character like VeryDarkMan to accuse my dad and Falz of bribery, corruption and perversion of the course of justice and you people suddenly forget who they are and what they stand for.
“For him to have the audacity to go as far as even accusing Falz of being homosexual is wild. For the record, anyone can write the President to request a pardon for any convicted person in Nigeria.
“Do you think my dad or Falz need Bob’s money??? For what? Seeing as you have refused to do the needful, #verydarkblackman see you in court.”
In a show of support, controversial figure Martins Otse, also known as, VeryDarkMan, has celebrated the suspension of two officers by the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCS).
He disclosed this in a video posted via his Facebook page on Thursday.
This suspension follows serious allegations made by popular crossdresser Idris Okuneye, widely recognized as Bobrisky against the NCoS and the EFCC.
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Bobrisky claimed that he had bribed EFCC operatives with N15 million to drop money laundering charges against him and that he had also attempted to bribe NCoS officials to evade imprisonment.
Expressing his satisfaction with the minister’s actions, VeryDarkMan stated, “The honorable minister of interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, you have proven yourself to me before, and I was just relaxed watching. And boom, you did it again with the suspension of some officers that might be involved in this whole Bobrisky saga.”
He praised the minister’s commitment to improving Nigeria, adding that they are working together to create positive change.
He added, “much love Egbon it’s a fight to make Nigeria a better place and we will definitely make it a better place with our own little efforts, keep that fire burning, we have picked each others brains and I believe in you for now because as a politician you fit go change tomorrow so for now you are the guy, GOD BLESS YOU,I love you Egbon.”
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