I Handed Over $15.8m To Suswam At His Residence In Maitama — Witness Insists

The fourth prosecution witness in the trial a former governor of
Benue State Gabriel Suswam before Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed of
the Federal High Court, Abubakar Umar, on March 24, 2021 narrated
how he handed over the sum of $15.8m to the former governor at his
Maitama residence, Abuja.

Recall that the witness, a Bureau De Change Operator and CEO of
Fanffash Resources, has been in the witness box since 2018. At a
stage in the trail, he was declared hostile, after he recanted on
the statement he volunteered to the EFCC, while being led in
evidence by Rotimi Jacobs SAN. In his statement before the EFCC, he
wrote that he took the money to the governor at his residence in in
Maitama Abuja but changed the narrative in court, by stating that
he took the money to the Government House in Benue State.

At today’s hearing, the PW4, reaffirmed his earliest statement
to the EFCC. He disclosed that he received calls from associates of
Suwam threatening him to change his statement in Court. “I changed
my statement because of the pressure I received from Suswam’s
people”, he said.

When asked by the prosecution counsel, what the ex-governor’s
allies wanted him to change, he told the court that they wanted him
to change where and who he gave the Dollar equivalent of N3.1
billion.

Umar further revealed that “I don’t know Elixir but sometime in
August 2014, Suswam called me to his house in Maitama and
introduced me to a lady and asked me to give her my account
details.

“Suswam said when I see the money, I should give him the Dollar
equivalent which I did, amounting to $15.8m while using N197 as
exchange rate. I handed over the Dollars in cash to Suswam at his
residence in Abuja”

Umar told the court that he never mentioned that he handed over
the money to Suswam at Kubwa but Maitama.

The witness said his company Fanffash Resources has no
relationship with the Benue State Government, and that he also has
no business or contract with Elixir Investment Partners Limited and
does not know where they are.

The matter has been adjourned till May 25, 2021, for the
continuation of trial.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, re-arraigned
the former governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, alongside his
then Commissioner of Finance, Omodachi Okolobia on November 2,
2020, before Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed of the Federal High Court
Abuja for fraud.

Both were docked on amended 11-count charges, bordering on
theft, criminal breach of trust, illegal award of contracts, and
money laundering to the tune of N3.1 billion.

The fourth prosecution witness in the trial a former governor of
Benue State Gabriel Suswam before Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed of
the Federal High Court, Abubakar Umar, on March 24, 2021 narrated
how he handed over the sum of $15.8m to the former governor at his
Maitama residence, Abuja.

Recall that the witness, a Bureau De Change Operator and CEO of
Fanffash Resources, has been in the witness box since 2018. At a
stage in the trail, he was declared hostile, after he recanted on
the statement he volunteered to the EFCC, while being led in
evidence by Rotimi Jacobs SAN. In his statement before the EFCC, he
wrote that he took the money to the governor at his residence in in
Maitama Abuja but changed the narrative in court, by stating that
he took the money to the Government House in Benue State.

At today’s hearing, the PW4, reaffirmed his earliest statement
to the EFCC. He disclosed that he received calls from associates of
Suwam threatening him to change his statement in Court. “I changed
my statement because of the pressure I received from Suswam’s
people”, he said.

When asked by the prosecution counsel, what the ex-governor’s
allies wanted him to change, he told the court that they wanted him
to change where and who he gave the Dollar equivalent of N3.1
billion.

Umar further revealed that “I don’t know Elixir but sometime in
August 2014, Suswam called me to his house in Maitama and
introduced me to a lady and asked me to give her my account
details.

“Suswam said when I see the money, I should give him the Dollar
equivalent which I did, amounting to $15.8m while using N197 as
exchange rate. I handed over the Dollars in cash to Suswam at his
residence in Abuja”

Umar told the court that he never mentioned that he handed over
the money to Suswam at Kubwa but Maitama.

The witness said his company Fanffash Resources has no
relationship with the Benue State Government, and that he also has
no business or contract with Elixir Investment Partners Limited and
does not know where they are.

The matter has been adjourned till May 25, 2021, for the
continuation of trial.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, re-arraigned
the former governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, alongside his
then Commissioner of Finance, Omodachi Okolobia on November 2,
2020, before Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed of the Federal High Court
Abuja for fraud.

Both were docked on amended 11-count charges, bordering on
theft, criminal breach of trust, illegal award of contracts, and
money laundering to the tune of N3.1 billion.