N1.3b fraud: Court admits 150 payment vouchers exhibits in Lamido’s trial

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Tuesday, presented another witness, Michael Witkas, in the ongoing trial of a former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, over N1.36 billion fraud. The court admitted 40 additional exhibits bring to 150 the total exhibits so far tendered and admitted as part of the prosecution case that Lamido laundered the sum.

Witkas led in evidence by Chile Okoroma, counsel to EFCC, tendered the following exhibits: Dantata and Sawoe payment voucher dated 15 May 2012 with the sum of N5, 412,000 million; Dantata and Sawoe Construction Company dated 14 December 2012 Payment Voucher for the sum of N7, 212 800 million. Others are Dantata and Sawoe Construction Company Payment vouchers dated 3 June 2007- N5 million; 5 December 2008 – N16, 903,016 million; 11 November 2008 bank payment voucher- N6, 934,500 million; 15 December 2008 – N13, 924,000 million.

The Dantata and Sawoe payment vouchers also tendered and admitted as exhibits are 29 November 2008 – N14,190,000 million; 27 Oct 2008 – N9,094, 200m; 24 Oct 2010- N10,687,500 million; 27 Oct 2010 – N9,430,815 million; 8 Oct 2008 – N20, 558,475 million; 14 April 2008 -N14,790,595 million, 14 April 2008 – N6,979,570 million; the Dantata and Sawoe Construction Company bank payment voucher dated 13 June 2008 – N18,689,550 million; 4 August 2008- N14,333,154 million; 6 Oct 2008 – N13,699,840 million; 10 Oct 2008 – N9,167.050 million; 4 August 2008 – N14,198, 480 million; 13 June 2008 – N14,393,946 million; 22 Dec 2009 – N14, 000,004 million, 8 Oct 2009 – N7,377,040 million among others.

EFCC who came to court with bags of ‘Ghana must go’ filled with documents, claimed they were evidences of money laundering transactions carried out by Lamido and sons while he was in office as governor of Jigawa State. On Tuesday, the trial Judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola, directed the prosecution counsel, Chile Okoroma and the defence counsel, Joe Agbi (SAN), to sort out the remaining exhibits for easy admission by the court.

Lamido is facing 27-count criminal charge bordering on corruption, money laundering, breach of trust and illegal diversion of public funds to the tune of N1.35 billion. He is facing trial with his two sons, Aminu and Mustapha, alongside their alleged accomplice, Wada Abubakar. Trial continues today (Wednesday).