lai Mohammed Minister
Information
ICPC
lai Mohammed Minister
Information
ICPC to Arraign Lai Mohammed in Court over N2.5bn NBC
Fraud
The immediate past Minister of Information and Culture, Lai
Mohammed has been scheduled to appear before a Federal High Court,
Abuja, to explain his role in the alleged misapplication of N2.5
billion Federal Government Digital Switch-Over (DSO) programme.
The planned appearance of Mohammed was revealed by the
Independent Corrupt Practice and Other Related Offences Commission
(ICPC), who is prosecuting the Director General of the National
Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Ishaq Modibbo Kawu, over an alleged
abuse of office and money laundering.
ICPC had filed a 12-count charge before Justice Folashade
Ogunbanjo-Giwa, against Kawu, Lucky Omoluwa and Dipo Onifade, the
Chairman and Chief Operating Officer of Pinnacle Communications
Limited respectively, saying that the NBC director general misled
the former Minister into approving government funds to a private
company.
The former Minister’s involvement had come under questioning
following discovery by ICPC during investigations, that a
government White Paper that governs the execution of the DSO
programme was allegedly flouted by the head of NBC.
Mohammed had however admitted in a statement to the Commission
that he was misled by Kawu, as opined in court by a witness from
ICPC, Osanato Olugbemi.
Olugbemi, led in evidence by counsel to ICPC, Henry Emore, also
told the court that the payment of N2.5 billion from NBC to
Pinnacle Communications Limited, as seed grant was suspicious
because ICPC found out through its investigations that only
government owned company was approved to benefit from the grant
according to the White Paper.
The court also heard that the processes that led to the final
payment of the fund to the private company were shrouded in secrecy
as revealed by the minute from an NBC emergency board management
meeting where issues of carriage fees owed Pinnacle and not seed
grant was discussed.
He told the court that 47 suspicious transactions were
originated by the Chairman of Pinnacle Communications, Omoluwa,
immediately after the receipt of the funds on June 2, 2017.
The transactions includes payments of N363 million to one Idowu
Olatunde, N274.4 million to one James Segun and N127 million to
Dipo Onifade, the Chief Operating Officer of the company.
He informed the court that Omoluwa refused to explained the reasons
for the payments to Olatunde and James when asked by ICPC, but
Onifade explained that he received the N127 million as legal fees
he rendered to Pinnacle Communications Limited.
A Bureau de Change operator, Salisu Mamman Daura, who also
testified in court, said he received N167 million in two
installments of N97 million and N70 million respectively, from
Pinnacle Communications Limited.
Daura added that the sums were converted into $265, 000 and
$195, 735 respectively, at the rate of N360 to an American dollar,
and handed in cash to one Alhaji Sabo, supposedly on behalf of
Pinnacle Communications.
Counsel to the accused persons, Alex Iziyon (SAN), A Yusuf and A.
V. Etuwewe for Omoluwa, Onifade, Kawu and Pinnacle Communications
respectively, took turns to cross-examined both witnesses after
which the matter was adjourned to July 1, 2019 for continuation of
trial and ruling on two pending motions by the trial judge.
Signed: Mrs. Rasheedat A. Okoduwa, mni
Spokesperson for the Commission