How ex- Gov Suswan exchanged N3.8bn state fund – Umar

A prosecution witness (PW 4), Abubakar Umar, in the ongoing trial of former governor of Benue State, Senator Gabriel Suswan, on Friday, told the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja that Suswan directed the payments of a total sum of N3.111, 000,000 billon into his bank account while he was the governor of the state.

Umar, the fourth prosecution witness (PW4), also said that he operate a Bureau de -Change.

He said that he received a total sum of N3.111, 000,000 from Governor Suswan and changed it into $15.800, 000 million dollars equivalent at the rate of N197 to a dollar.

 Umar told the Court that he personally handed the money at various times to then Governor Suswan at his garage.

According to Umar, any time his bank account is credited by payments from a firm – Elieza investment, who also is a defendant in the suit, he took the equivalent in dollars to the governor.

The witness, who is being lead in evidence in chief by prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), said that “the total money I received in my account was N 3,111,000,000.00. After I received, I take its equivalent in dollars to the governor. At that time the exchange rate was N197 to a dollar.

“The total of the exchange I handed over to Governor Suswan was 15.800,000 dollars”, he told the court.

Asked by the prosecution whether he handed the money in someone’s presence? The witness said “the time I gave the governor the money at the Garage it was only me and him. His name is Gabriel Suswan.

Then prosecution asked what would have been his reaction he did not give him the money. The witness said that if he has not given him the money he would have been a dead man.

Then, the prosecution asked why? Umar said that because you can not eat government money and stay alive.

The prosecution then presented exhibit B to the witness. After a careful look, he said that exhibit B pages 21 contained his picture, account number, company name and his telephone number.

“I can see that the first time the money entered into my account was August 8 2014. The sum of N418m entered into the account from Elieza investment.

He said that at several occasions, tax cab drivers took him to the governor’s lodge and on arrival, the drivers gave us chance “so that I give him the money.”  

“I did know the names of the drivers and because of security any driver that come to my office takes me to Governor”.

He also identified from bank statement that all the payments listed were from Elieza investment, adding: “I don’t know what the Governor do with the money I gave to him”.

The witness said that he remembered giving evidence before Justice Ahmed Mohammed when the case was before that court that he gave the money to the governor at the garrage.