Oloyede Olawale, the fifth prosecution witness in a $1.6 billion
fraud trial involving Jide Omokore, on Thursday told Justice Nnamdi
Dimgba of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, how the
defendant bought exotic cars with millions of naira suspected to be
proceeds of oil fraud for some politicians.
Documents in support of the claim were tendered and admitted in
evidence by the court.
Led in evidence by Rotimi Jacobs, counsel to the EFCC, Mr.
Olawale, an accountant and admin manager with Skymit Limited (a
company that specialises in sale and services of automobiles ) told
the court what he knew about the case in relation to Mr.
Omokore.
“Some time ago, we got an invitation from the EFCC, which we
honoured. When we got there, we were told to write statements and
they made some requests relating to sales and delivery in
connection with Chief Omokore, which we did.
“The transaction borders on supply of vehicles. As a customer of
the company, we supplied vehicles to his company (Spog), on his
order”, he said.
He added that “when his request is made, we debit his account,
but when payment is made, we credit his account accordingly”.
Mr. Jacobs then asked the witness if the witness could recognize
the copy of the document that shows the supply of vehicles and the
details, the witness answered in the affirmative.
The document included the defendant’s personal statement of
account and two invoices.
The admissibility of the documents when sought to be tendered by
the prosecution was strongly objected to by counsel representing
the fourth defendant, Tayo Oyetibo.
The learned silk argued that “the tendering of Certificate of
Identification, does not meet the requirements of Section 84 (4)
paragraph ‘P’ as to the detailed particular of the device involved
in the production of this document.”
While urging the court to reject the document, Mr. Oyetibo
argued that “They should have provided the serial number of the
computer. Each computer must have a serial number and that is what
distinguishes them”.
Responding, Mr. Jacobs argued that the documents met the
requirements of the said section of the Evidence Act.
“My Lord, the fact that the type of the computer mentioned (HP)
and the printer, HP printer has sufficiently described and gave
sufficient particulars of the device involved.
“If your Lordship will accept the interpretation placed on that
Section 84 (4) by the defendant, then no single computer generated
document will be admissible unless we look for an expert; maybe a
computer engineer, or we subpoena Bill Gate to come and give the
particulars of the particular device used. That is not the
intention of the law”, Mr. Jacobs submitted.
He urged the court to discountenance the submissions of the
defence and admit the documents in evidence.
After heated arguments, Justice Dimgba admitted the two invoices
in evidence as ‘Exhibit Atlantic 35 and Atlantic 36”, and the
statement of account as ‘Exhibit 37’.
The witness further told the court that several exotic cars were
supplied to individuals on the order of Mr. Omokore.
“We supplied 23 cars to Adamu Muazu, among them were 5 Land
Cruiser Jeeps.
“We also supplied 25 cars to Prince Uche Secondus by order of
Omokore and we also supplied nine vehicles to Albert Bassey”, the
witness revealed.
The case has been adjourned to March 2, 2018, for continuation
of trial.
Omokore is standing trial alongside Victor Briggs, Abiye
Membere, David Mbanefo, Atlantic Energy Brass Development Limited
and Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Limited on a 9-count amended
charge, of criminal diversion of about $1.6 billion, alleged to be
proceeds of petroleum products belonging to the federal
government.
Oloyede Olawale, the fifth prosecution witness in a $1.6 billion
fraud trial involving Jide Omokore, on Thursday told Justice Nnamdi
Dimgba of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, how the
defendant bought exotic cars with millions of naira suspected to be
proceeds of oil fraud for some politicians.
Documents in support of the claim were tendered and admitted in
evidence by the court.
Led in evidence by Rotimi Jacobs, counsel to the EFCC, Mr.
Olawale, an accountant and admin manager with Skymit Limited (a
company that specialises in sale and services of automobiles ) told
the court what he knew about the case in relation to Mr.
Omokore.
“Some time ago, we got an invitation from the EFCC, which we
honoured. When we got there, we were told to write statements and
they made some requests relating to sales and delivery in
connection with Chief Omokore, which we did.
“The transaction borders on supply of vehicles. As a customer of
the company, we supplied vehicles to his company (Spog), on his
order”, he said.
He added that “when his request is made, we debit his account,
but when payment is made, we credit his account accordingly”.
Mr. Jacobs then asked the witness if the witness could recognize
the copy of the document that shows the supply of vehicles and the
details, the witness answered in the affirmative.
The document included the defendant’s personal statement of
account and two invoices.
The admissibility of the documents when sought to be tendered by
the prosecution was strongly objected to by counsel representing
the fourth defendant, Tayo Oyetibo.
The learned silk argued that “the tendering of Certificate of
Identification, does not meet the requirements of Section 84 (4)
paragraph ‘P’ as to the detailed particular of the device involved
in the production of this document.”
While urging the court to reject the document, Mr. Oyetibo
argued that “They should have provided the serial number of the
computer. Each computer must have a serial number and that is what
distinguishes them”.
Responding, Mr. Jacobs argued that the documents met the
requirements of the said section of the Evidence Act.
“My Lord, the fact that the type of the computer mentioned (HP)
and the printer, HP printer has sufficiently described and gave
sufficient particulars of the device involved.
“If your Lordship will accept the interpretation placed on that
Section 84 (4) by the defendant, then no single computer generated
document will be admissible unless we look for an expert; maybe a
computer engineer, or we subpoena Bill Gate to come and give the
particulars of the particular device used. That is not the
intention of the law”, Mr. Jacobs submitted.
He urged the court to discountenance the submissions of the
defence and admit the documents in evidence.
After heated arguments, Justice Dimgba admitted the two invoices
in evidence as ‘Exhibit Atlantic 35 and Atlantic 36”, and the
statement of account as ‘Exhibit 37’.
The witness further told the court that several exotic cars were
supplied to individuals on the order of Mr. Omokore.
“We supplied 23 cars to Adamu Muazu, among them were 5 Land
Cruiser Jeeps.
“We also supplied 25 cars to Prince Uche Secondus by order of
Omokore and we also supplied nine vehicles to Albert Bassey”, the
witness revealed.
The case has been adjourned to March 2, 2018, for continuation
of trial.
Omokore is standing trial alongside Victor Briggs, Abiye
Membere, David Mbanefo, Atlantic Energy Brass Development Limited
and Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Limited on a 9-count amended
charge, of criminal diversion of about $1.6 billion, alleged to be
proceeds of petroleum products belonging to the federal
government.