Witness Indicts EFCC In Abdulrasheed Maina’s Trial

Ngozika Ihuoma, defence witness, on Thursday, indicted the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and its sacked
Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, in the ongoing trial of Abdulrasheed Maina,
former Chairman, defunct Pension Reformed Task Team (PRTT).

Ihuoma, a management consultant, whose firm, Crincad & Cari
Nigeria Ltd, was contracted by the PRTT for consultancy service,
also told Justice Okon Abang how a renowned lawyer allegedly
acquired a recovered property from the EFCC even while the property
was still subject of litigation.

NAN reports that Justice Abang on February 25, 2021, ordered
Maina to open his defence in the charge preferred against him by
the EFCC after the prosecution closed its case.

Though Maina had intended to apply for a no-case submission, the
judge foreclosed his right to make the application on December 21,
2020, ruling that the pension reformed boss had adequate time and
facility to make the submission but failed to do so.

The witness, while being led in evidence-in-chief by Maina’s
lawyer, Adeola Olawale, said the PRTT wrote to President Muhammadu
Buhari on assumption of office in 2015 of its willingness to make
available intelligence that would lead to the recovery of N3
trillion hidden in some undisclosed accounts in some banks.

“By January 2016, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF)
and the National Security Adviser (NSA) met with Maina in Dubai,
United Arab Emirate (UAE).

“After the meeting in Dubai, Maina gave the delegation
intelligence report that led to the recovery of N1.3 trillion out
of the N3 trillion promised to recover.

“The money was reported to the Senate Committee that
investigated Maina’s reinstatement back to the civil service in
2017.

“Equally, the task team petitioned the Senate on the need to
revisit the 7th Assembly Joint Committee that its report was
quashed by the Federal High Court in view of the fact that the 222
choice property valued at N1.63 trillion that was handed over to
the EFCC have started being mismanaged.

“One of the property in question located at No 42, Gana Street,
Maitama, had been illegally acquired by a renowned lawyer while the
property was still subject to litigation,” he said.

EFCC should account for 222 property

He said the EFCC should be made to account for the 222 property,
“including the ones that was sold to the lawyer which was grossly
under valued from N6 billion in 2011 and sold to him in 2015 at N1
billion.

“We believe that the task team stood by her integrity and
accountability, not minding the persecution by the EFCC before this
honourable court.”

Ihuoma said when Magu appeared before the House of
Representatives Committee that investigated the reinstatement of
Maina, the ex-EFCC chair denied that the anti-graft agency was a
member of PRTT and that the pension reformed team did not handover
any property to the commission.

‘Magu lied on oath’

He said through his company, he petitioned Malami, telling him
that Magu lied on oath before the House by denying that the EFCC
was not a member of the task team contrary to the instrument
establishing the PRTT through a letter from the Office of the Head
of Civil Service of the Federation detailing membership of the task
team and their terms of reference.

“That led to Malami petitioning Mr President and demanding that
EFCC should account for the 222 property valued at 1.63 trillion
which eventually led to the setting up of Justice Ayo Salami-led
Judicial Commissuon of Inquiry.

“Magu admitted before Salami that he shared and allocated most
of these property to most of his friends, associates, colleagues
under some presidential directives but failed to make available to
the commission the evidence of that presidential directives,” he
said.

The witness stated that Maina gave intelligence report to the
Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission
(ICPC) of a plan to siphon N35 billion from the Head of Service
Pension Office.

He said the commission questioned the former HoS, Mrs Winifred
Oyo-Ita and five other management committee members and that the
ICPC had its report and were ready to prosecute the matter.

N15 billion mopped up from Customs, Immigration,
Prison

He also said that the pension reformed boss in March 2013 gave
an intelligence report to the then Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi
Okonjo-Iweala and EFCC leading to the mop up of N15 billion from
Customs, Immigration, Prison Pension Office (CIPO).

Ihuoma said despite that the running cost of the PRTT was not
paid, Maina was the only member of the team that was sacked.

He told the court that B. G. kaigama, who served in the team,
“remaines till today, a full director and second in command in
Pension Transition Arrangement Department (PTAD).

“G.T Idris, who represented ICPC is now at NIPSS undergoing a
one year course leading to his promotion to a rank of full
commissioner of police.

“Even Winifred Oyo-Ita who managed the Head of Service Pension
Office as interim management committee became the Head of Service
(HoS) of Federation where she used that office to stop Maina’s
reinstatement since 2017,” he said.

The witness added that Ibrahim Larmode, who was a member of the
team as chairman of the EFCC, was also promoted to the rank of
Assistant Inspector/General of Police (AIG).

“We stand to say that Maina deserves to be reinstated back as
approved by the Federal Civil Service Commission in 2017 and if
possible, in line with the recommendations of the House of
Representatives to the then President Jonathan, be made to return
to service and assist in cleaning up the pension matters now that
the issue of pension is going haywire again.

“We believe this try is not in the interest of pension reformed
task team which EFCC was a member,” he said.
Justice Abang adjourned the matter until March 5 for trial
continuation.

NAN reports that Maina (1st defendant) was arraigned before
Abang, on Oct. 25, 2019, by the EFCC alongside his firm, Common
Input Property and Investment Ltd (2nd defendant).

He, however, pleaded not guilty to the 12-count charge bordering
on money laundering to the tune of N2 billion.(NAN)

Ngozika Ihuoma, defence witness, on Thursday, indicted the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and its sacked
Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, in the ongoing trial of Abdulrasheed Maina,
former Chairman, defunct Pension Reformed Task Team (PRTT).

Ihuoma, a management consultant, whose firm, Crincad & Cari
Nigeria Ltd, was contracted by the PRTT for consultancy service,
also told Justice Okon Abang how a renowned lawyer allegedly
acquired a recovered property from the EFCC even while the property
was still subject of litigation.

NAN reports that Justice Abang on February 25, 2021, ordered
Maina to open his defence in the charge preferred against him by
the EFCC after the prosecution closed its case.

Though Maina had intended to apply for a no-case submission, the
judge foreclosed his right to make the application on December 21,
2020, ruling that the pension reformed boss had adequate time and
facility to make the submission but failed to do so.

The witness, while being led in evidence-in-chief by Maina’s
lawyer, Adeola Olawale, said the PRTT wrote to President Muhammadu
Buhari on assumption of office in 2015 of its willingness to make
available intelligence that would lead to the recovery of N3
trillion hidden in some undisclosed accounts in some banks.

“By January 2016, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF)
and the National Security Adviser (NSA) met with Maina in Dubai,
United Arab Emirate (UAE).

“After the meeting in Dubai, Maina gave the delegation
intelligence report that led to the recovery of N1.3 trillion out
of the N3 trillion promised to recover.

“The money was reported to the Senate Committee that
investigated Maina’s reinstatement back to the civil service in
2017.

“Equally, the task team petitioned the Senate on the need to
revisit the 7th Assembly Joint Committee that its report was
quashed by the Federal High Court in view of the fact that the 222
choice property valued at N1.63 trillion that was handed over to
the EFCC have started being mismanaged.

“One of the property in question located at No 42, Gana Street,
Maitama, had been illegally acquired by a renowned lawyer while the
property was still subject to litigation,” he said.

EFCC should account for 222 property

He said the EFCC should be made to account for the 222 property,
“including the ones that was sold to the lawyer which was grossly
under valued from N6 billion in 2011 and sold to him in 2015 at N1
billion.

“We believe that the task team stood by her integrity and
accountability, not minding the persecution by the EFCC before this
honourable court.”

Ihuoma said when Magu appeared before the House of
Representatives Committee that investigated the reinstatement of
Maina, the ex-EFCC chair denied that the anti-graft agency was a
member of PRTT and that the pension reformed team did not handover
any property to the commission.

‘Magu lied on oath’

He said through his company, he petitioned Malami, telling him
that Magu lied on oath before the House by denying that the EFCC
was not a member of the task team contrary to the instrument
establishing the PRTT through a letter from the Office of the Head
of Civil Service of the Federation detailing membership of the task
team and their terms of reference.

“That led to Malami petitioning Mr President and demanding that
EFCC should account for the 222 property valued at 1.63 trillion
which eventually led to the setting up of Justice Ayo Salami-led
Judicial Commissuon of Inquiry.

“Magu admitted before Salami that he shared and allocated most
of these property to most of his friends, associates, colleagues
under some presidential directives but failed to make available to
the commission the evidence of that presidential directives,” he
said.

The witness stated that Maina gave intelligence report to the
Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission
(ICPC) of a plan to siphon N35 billion from the Head of Service
Pension Office.

He said the commission questioned the former HoS, Mrs Winifred
Oyo-Ita and five other management committee members and that the
ICPC had its report and were ready to prosecute the matter.

N15 billion mopped up from Customs, Immigration,
Prison

He also said that the pension reformed boss in March 2013 gave
an intelligence report to the then Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi
Okonjo-Iweala and EFCC leading to the mop up of N15 billion from
Customs, Immigration, Prison Pension Office (CIPO).

Ihuoma said despite that the running cost of the PRTT was not
paid, Maina was the only member of the team that was sacked.

He told the court that B. G. kaigama, who served in the team,
“remaines till today, a full director and second in command in
Pension Transition Arrangement Department (PTAD).

“G.T Idris, who represented ICPC is now at NIPSS undergoing a
one year course leading to his promotion to a rank of full
commissioner of police.

“Even Winifred Oyo-Ita who managed the Head of Service Pension
Office as interim management committee became the Head of Service
(HoS) of Federation where she used that office to stop Maina’s
reinstatement since 2017,” he said.

The witness added that Ibrahim Larmode, who was a member of the
team as chairman of the EFCC, was also promoted to the rank of
Assistant Inspector/General of Police (AIG).

“We stand to say that Maina deserves to be reinstated back as
approved by the Federal Civil Service Commission in 2017 and if
possible, in line with the recommendations of the House of
Representatives to the then President Jonathan, be made to return
to service and assist in cleaning up the pension matters now that
the issue of pension is going haywire again.

“We believe this try is not in the interest of pension reformed
task team which EFCC was a member,” he said.
Justice Abang adjourned the matter until March 5 for trial
continuation.

NAN reports that Maina (1st defendant) was arraigned before
Abang, on Oct. 25, 2019, by the EFCC alongside his firm, Common
Input Property and Investment Ltd (2nd defendant).

He, however, pleaded not guilty to the 12-count charge bordering
on money laundering to the tune of N2 billion.(NAN)