By,Giwa Alex, Jos.
The Economic and Financial Crime Commission ,EFCC, principal witness told the court than Governor Hassan Dankwambo’s commissioner ,permanent secretary and some serving Directors bought the auctioned vehicles during Governor Danjuma Goje, of Gombe State and now serving senator of the federal republic of Nigeria.
Its was gathered that charges against the former Governor bordering on conspiracy and money laundering, commenced in 2011 with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, presenting 23th witnesses, who testified as the 19th 20th ,21st ,22nd and 23rd witnesses since inception.
Goje is standing trial along with Aliyu El-Nafaty, S.M. Dokoro and Sabo Muhammad Tumu, before Justice Babatunde Quadri, at the Federal High Court No 2 , sitting in Jos, Plateau State, for allegedly embezzling state funds.
They are alleged to have engaged in financial impropriety, including the contract of food supply to the state government house, during Goje’s tenure, and loan facilities obtained from banks.
Prosecution counsel, Wahab Shittu, through the 15th witness PW 23rd State House of Assembly Service Commission and Former General Manager told the court that the auctioneer auction non serviceable vehicles to the general public including civil servants who bid and bought them on 500,000 each , tendered several documents to prove its case against them.
He explained further that documents tendered included the certified true copy of the March 2006 federal government’s approved guideline and the certified true copies of tumbs receipts . dated September 9, 2003 to 2011 relating to the amount of loan obtain from banks .
The Prosecuting counsel ,Barr. Wahab Shittu said EFCC have witnesses compare BBB 15 -19th Afric bank ,5 intercontinental bank BBB20th -24th and Union Bank BBB1st -25th with CCC with the witness agreed matching grant account from the central bank .
The PW 19th Daniela Andrew Angyu the Deputy Manager banking and finance system Account says ,”I am not aware of UBE matching grant ,then ,the prosecutor ,Barr Shittu asked her why are you in Court? ,I was supra ,we learn that am to testify or produce account on open documents in the CBN by the Gombe state between 2003 -2011 .
Do you have the documents ,she said ,no accounts was open by Gombe state and ,no account open for matching grant for Gombe so am not in position to present any statement ,I don’t know anything regarding the said money CBN witness.
Miss Daniela Andrew pleaded with the honourable court that, “I want the court to take it that there is no UBE account open between the administration of Danjuma Goje and her employment letter read 2015 .
However, the PW 20th Mrs Amina Ahmed Habib,Director in appropriate officer development appropriate department ,told the court that she was in court base on email sent for her to appear in court and explain details on 3/11/2011 recommercial credit change agricultural .
The documents was mark exhibit ,AAA3 ,we don’t have anything on our file the PW 20th read the earlier mail .
While cross examining her the fact of the matter Hajiya Habib told the defense counsel that CBN didn’t have direct link with Gombe state we only deal with the Union Bank .Adding Union Bank wrote to us requesting Supina to produce not as witness .
According to the CBN staff ,Gombe state approach them on one billion loan through Union Bank because the original purpose was on small scale farmers but then when the approved the planting season was over and we have communication that Union Bank wrote to CBN requesting for change of purpose on lending was granted documents title ,”AAA3 which document was tender before the court .
PW 21th ,Alh Usman Abubakar the Accountant with Gombe state government reflecting payment to the food supply contractor ,Alh Sabo Kumo says the total of 1.4 billion between 2003-2011 presented 9 check books from different banks and tender as exhibits.
The leaf left check payment made to contractors supplying food to the government house original tomb check serve as evidence of full payment to the food contractor.
The court admitted them as exhibits from Afrix bank as she read to the court, conditions stipulated in the document, required for accessing the UBE matching grant by states, and told the court that he was in charge of disbursement of state funds,.
Under cross-examination, Mrs Amina told the defense counsel that the supply of food by the contactor covered by the guidelines.
He further told the court that, according to the guidelines, “Former Governor Danjuma Goje operate under a due Process by Committee, which must include the ministry of transport , Board Secretary, Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Director of Finance, representative, and Procurement Officer, as members”.
Shittu, further confronted the witness, with exhibits CCC which the defense argued that , that is not in accordance with the law practice ,adding he benefited in 1987 when served as commissioner then .
“The provisions of the guidelines are sacrosanct and inviolable, and not even UBEC can waive the conditions stipulated in the guidelines,” he said.
Testifying as the 16th prosecution witness, Saliu Sambo, Director of Admin and Finance in the state, gave evidence as regards details of food supply from 2003 and 2011 under Goje’s administration.
The prosecution, through the witness, made references to exhibits AAA1 to AAA6 and BBB1 to BBB2, which confirmed evidence of payments with respect to food supplied to the State Government House, shown in another document tendered in evidence, and admitted as exhibit CCC.
PW 22nd ,Mrs Rabi Sa’ad also confirmed that money one billion credit loan through Union Bank was paid ,it was disbursed into Gombe state fertilizer account as instructed for same to transfer documents were also tender by prosecution but no objection on commercial agriculture A/C 0015751905 .
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> The contractor engaged to supply food to the Government House, who happens to be the cousin to Goje in 2003 to 2011 during the administration of Senator Goje .
“The total money paid to the food contractor covering the period between 2003 to 2011 is N1,451,682,518.6 and it consists of various payments to the contractor ranging from the sum of N500,000,” he said.
The General Manager Gombe state transport service , who testified as the 23th witness, confirmed amount paid to vehicles bought auctioned.
“It was my duty to clear thou that two banks issues clearance to me based on approval from Accountant-General for payment photocopies of all cheques are available,” he said.
The statement by Adamu , in which he confirmed his testimony during interrogation, was tendered in evidence, and admitted by the court.
Justice Quadri, also admitted as exhibit BBBB20th 25th “Guidelines for Commercial Agricultural Credit Scheme issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria and Federal Government of Nigeria”, which was tendered in evidence.
According to PW 23th Adamu Aliyu Gombe state transport service took loan in 3 different banks in 2003 to purchase 50 Nissa buses which was all paid within the stipulated period.
Justice Quadri has adjourned further proceedings for further hearing of more witnesses on 6th -7th February, 2018.
