EFCC Operatives
Fraud: How
EFCC Operatives
Fraud: How NDDC Director, Others Received N3.6bn through
Company Account- Witness
The trial of Touyo Omatsuli, a former Executive Director on
Projects, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, and Francis
Momoh resumed today, Monday 10th June, 2019 at the Federal High
Court before Justice Saliu Seidu sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos.
At today’s proceedings, a prosecution witness, Ibinabo Micheal
West told the Court how he transferred in tranches the total sum of
N3.6 billion to the fourth defendant company, Building Associate
Limited, owned by the second defendant, Francis Momoh on the
instruction of the first defendant, Touyo Omasuli.
Ibinabo West, a business man working in PortHarcourt futher told
the court that he was awarded a contract with the Niger Delta
Development Commission, NDDC, to recover debt owed by the oil
companies operating within the Niger Delta region.
“The oil companies were to remit a three percentage annual
budget to the NDDC which they were not remitting in full rather
they were doing it at will. My services and company Starline
Consultancy Services was awarded the contract to recover the debt
owed the Commission by the oil companies and I was given a four
years mandate. I was also going to be paid ten percent of the
recovered money”.
Testifying further, Ibinabo said “I recovered over One Hundred
Billion Naira, and I was paid about Twelve Billion Naira. While I
was receiving payments, I was approached by the then Executive
Director Finance, directing my attention to the harassment by the
Niger Delta Youth, that they sometime lock up their gates and made
several demands, so he said in order to cushion the effects on
them, each time I am paid, I should appreciate them, so they can
reach out to the youths”.
“A Diamond Bank account was sent to me belonging to Building
Associate Limited and I transferred a total amount of N3.6 Billion
Naira to that account in tranches.
Ibinabo, who is the fourth prosecution witness, also told the
court that his attention was drawn by the then Executive Director
of Finance that the EFCC was investigating the works of NDDC and
Starline Services. “The first defendant called me, that he would
send the third defendant and I should give a sub consultancy make
up Letter to Building Associate Limited, which was to explain the
money I gave to them, to reach out to the youth and I obliged”.
The Sub Consultancy make up letter, Offer of Contract Letter and
Acceptance Letter we’re tendered by the prosecution counsel, Ekene
Iheanacho, and admitted in evidence by the court.
Ibinabo, during cross-examination by the defence, told the court
when asked if all the money paid to him by NDDC was proceeds of
crime. He responded, that the money was earned, as he worked for
it, and the money he paid for the Niger Delta youth, are not
illegal funds, or money used to bribe NDDC officials to release his
funds, and the said money was not paid directly into the first
defendants accounts.
Counsel to the second, third and fourth defendant, Norrison
Quakers, during cross examination asked the witness if he knew him
and how? The witness told the court that he knows the SAN, while at
EFCC office, “I, the first defendant and the third defendant were
asked to bring a SAN to take us on bail, so i paid the SAN to take
the third defendant on bail as i already had another SAN taking me
on bail”.
He further asked if he made a statement at the EFCC office.
Ibinabo admitted that he made statements to the EFCC when he was
invited by the Commission, the counsel sought to tender the
statements made at EFCC. Justice Seidu admitted it in evidence and
marked it exhibit ET 09 A & B.
The witness further told the court that he wrote in his
statement that the Director of Finance instructed him to pay the
money into Building Associate Limited account, he told the court
that he participated in the bid to get the contract for the
recovery of the debts, as he has another oil Company and is abreast
of the activities of NDDC, and the contract was gotten on his own
without any influence from the defendants.
The defendants, who were charged alongside their companies, Don
Parker Properties Limited and Building Associates Limited
respectively, were arraigned on November 10, 2018 on a 45-count
charge bordering on conspiracy and money laundering to the tune of
N3,645,000,000 (Three Billion, Six Hundred and Forty-Five Million
Naira).
The defendants pleaded “not guilty” to the charges preferred
against them and were subsequently granted bail on November 16,
2018 in the sum of N100 million each with two sureties in like
sum.
Justice Seidu adjourned the case to June 11, 25 and 26, 2019 for
continuation of trial.
Tony Orilade
Ag. Head, Media & Publicity