Trial of the immediate past Governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, resumed on Wednesday, with the Federal High Court in Abuja, admitting several bank statements in evidence against him.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, tendered the bank documents on a day it produced four more witnesses that testified before the court.
Among the witnesses included a Bureau De Change Operator, Alhaji Ayuba Tanko Abdullahi, who narrated how funds were diverted from the Anambra state treasury, into his company’s account.
The BDC operator, who testified as the 5th prosecution witness, told the court that the funds which were received in Naira, were usually converted into dollars and handed to Obiano’s aide.
According to the witness, within eight months, he received a total of N416million from an account that was operated by the Anambra state government.
He told the court that the funds which got to him in tranches, were converted into foreign currency that amounted to the sum of $1.137m, and handed over to alleged agents of the former governor.
Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Mr. Sylvanus Tahir, SAN, the witness, said it was not until 2023 that the EFCC questioned him over the transactions.
He said: “I am a trader. I trade in forex exchange. I trade in USDs, Euros and Pound Sterling.
“I also source for customers and take them to other BDCs and do exchange and collect my commission.”
The witness told the court that he used two companies; Sauki Bureau De Change and Zigaziga Trading Company Ltd, for the transactions.
“Between April 2017 to December 2017, the total money I received at that period was N416m and I gave back the dollar equivalent which was $1, 137, 000.00,” the PW-5 added.
However, answering questions under cross examination, the BDC operator and admitted that he never had any direct dealings with the former governor.
Trial Justice Inyang Ekwo admitted a bundle of documents that contained bank statements of the BDC companies in evidence and marked them as exhibits.
Meanwhile, shortly after Alhaji Abdullahi was discharged, three bankers took handled accounts that belonged Anambra state government, took turns to mount there witness box.
The PW-6, Mr. Jeremiah Nnamdim, also tendered bank statements relating to a firm-Connought International Services Limited- which was also allegedly used to siphon funds from the Anambra State Government Security Vote Account.
The witness told the court that there was an inflow of over N473m into the account on February 16 2018, as well as a payment of N30m in five places and another N23m.
He further told the court that as single payment of N50m was made into the account on March 9, 2018, followed by a deposit of N10m in 11 places, totalling N110m.
The witness said he was not aware if the EFCC has charged the company to court over the transactions he said were made in the regular banking business.
The PW-8, Ms. Iwu Onyinyechi, who is equally a banker, narrated how funds labelled as “MC payment,” were transferred into the account of another firm she identified as S. Y. Panda Enterprises.
She disclosed that whereas N58m was paid into the account on October 30, 2018, another N36m was also paid in on November 13, 2018.
Meanwhile, Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter till February 24, 2025, for continuation of hearing.
Obiano, who piloted the affairs of Anambra State from March 2014 to March 2022, is facing a nine-count charge the anti-graft agency preferred against him.
The EFCC had among other things, alleged that the erstwhile governor looted over N4billion from the treasury of the state.
It told the court that the funds were siphoned from Anambra State’s Security Vote Account, converted into dollars and handed to the defendant in cash.
It will be recalled that Obiano was first arrested at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos, on March 17, 2022, as he was preparing to board a flight to Houston, the United States of America.
The arrest took place few hours after he left office as governor.
The EFCC told the court that when Obiano was in office as governor, between February 16, 2018 and March 9, 2018, in Abuja, he made cash transaction through a non-financial institution by instructing one Uzuegbuna Okagbue, his then Chief Protocol Officer/Deputy Chief of Staff, to transfer over 223million from the Anambra State Government Security Vote Account, into Connought International Services Limited, which was converted to the equivalent of $600,000.00 and collected same in cash from one Ayuba Tanko.
He was said to had between October 30, 2018 and November 13, 2018, made cash transaction through a non-financial institution by instructing Okagbue to transfer the sum of N95m from Anambra State Government Security Vote, into the account of S. Y. Panda, which was converted to $260 and handed to him in cash.
However, upon his arraignment on January 24, the former governor pleaded not guilty to the charge, even as he was released on bail.
As part of his bail conditions, the court seized his international passport. EFCC told the court that it has lined up 15 witnesses to testify in the matter.
The trial court earlier dismissed a motion the embattled ex-governor filed to quash the charge against him.
He had contended that the court in Abuja was bereft of the requisite jurisdiction to try him over offences that were allegedly committed in Anambra State.
He urged the court to dismiss the charge against him for want of territorial jurisdiction, a prayer that was refused by trial Justice Ekwo who gave EFCC the nod to open its case.
