Saraki got salaries after office as Gov –Witness

$ 10,000 was lodged into his account 18 times


Tribunal admits documents on salaries and houses acquired but not declared


He got pension like other former governors, not salary – Kwara State govt

Mr. Michael Wetkas, the witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the ongoing trial of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, for false assets declaration on Wednesday narrated how the accused received salaries for four years after the expiration of his tenure in Kwara State as governor. Continuing in his testimony at the resumed trial, Wetkas said that Saraki received monthly salaries and pension from June 2011 till August 31, 2015, more than four years after he left office.

However, in a swift reaction, the Kwara State Government denied paying Saraki salary after he left office in May 2011. Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Isiaka Gold in a statement on Wednesday, explained that Dr Saraki’s last salary was N291,474.00 for the month of May 2011. Testifying, Wetkas said in May 2011, Saraki was paid N291,134.00 as salary in his capacity as the Executive Governor of Kwara State. In June, he was paid N572,286.32k. In August, he was paid N744,002.22k. In September, he received N743,942.22k. In October the same year, he was paid N1,165,466.12k. The witness further said that in December, Saraki received twice the sum of N1,165,466.12k on December 27 and 28, 2011.

“He continued to receive same amount on monthly basis as pension and salary until August 31, 2015, when the payment was stopped when the EFCC filed the case against him,” Wetkas said. The tribunal had admitted 25 different documents as exhibits including Ex Gov Saraki’s Access bank Salary account were the double salaries and pension were lodged. The documents also linked him with Property acquired in Lagos, Abuja , United Kingdom and the United States of America while in office but which he failed to declare as part of his assets.

The witness also told the Tribunal that 87 lodgements were made by different individuals in one day into the Defendant’s naira account with a bank on October 26, 2009. “These payments were made to pay back the loans collected from the GTBank. Before the payment, the account was in debit balance,” he said. On the likely reasons for different lodgements, the witness said it might not be unconnected to the Money Laundering Act, which frowns at single heavy lodgements. Hence, the amount was decimated into several lodgements. He also testified that deposit slips were erroneously filled and sometimes, one handwriting filled the slips.

The bank management also said the suspicious transactions were reported to the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit. Wetkas further told the Tribunal that the sum of 180,000 dollars was lodged into Sen. Bukola Saraki’s, account, adding that the money was lodged by different individuals. Wetcast said that Saraki himself lodged the sum of 30, 000 dollars as part of the total sum of 180, 000 dollars allegedly lodged into his account. He said the sum of 50, 0000 dollars was also lodged into Saraki`s account on June 12, 2009 by one Garba Dare.

“ My lord, on Aug. 24, 2009, the sum of 99.975 000 US dollars was lodged into Saraki’s account which was later transferred to a Bureau de change company by name Bin Dahuuh. “ Also, on Aug. 26, 2009, the sum of 49.969 000 dollars was lodged into the same account by TARLISE Properties and Investment Limited.’’

The witness also said that Saraki authorised a bank draft of N256.3million in the name of the Committee on the Implementation of the Sales of Federal Government Landed Properties. The tribunal admitted all the documents relating to the transactions into evidence. The witness said that the anti-graft agency’s interest on the fraud was aroused by five petitions out of which four were written by Kwara Freedom Network in 2012, appealing to the commission to investigate the Management of revenue account of the state’s 16 local government areas. The fifth petition was by Concerned Pensioners from Kwara State.

Wetkas tendered the petition from Kwara Freedom Network dated June 7, 2012, asking EFCC to investigate the monthly revenue account between 2003 and 2011 of the 16 Local Government Areas in Kwara State. The defence team led by Mr Kanu Agabi (SAN) reserved their objection to the admissibility of the documents. The trial has been adjourned to April 18 for continuation Meanwhile, Kwara State Government, in its reaction through Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Isiaka Gold, further said “from June 2011, former Governor Saraki started receiving his pension which was N578,188.00 as other past governors in the country”. The statement added that after the review of pensions of former political office holders by the State Pension Board, the former governor’s pension increased to N1,239,493.94 monthly from October 2014 to date. Kwara State Government, therefore, dismissed as false and misleading the allegation that former Governor Saraki was receiving salaries after the expiration of his two-term tenure as governor of the state. Alhaji Gold advised interested stakeholders to seek clarification from appropriate authority to avoid misleading the public.