War against graft gets tough: 2 witnesses die after testifying against ex- Gov

…How witnesses died after making crucial statement -EFCC
A detective with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Adekunle Odofin, on Tuesday, informed Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja that two witnesses who made “crucial statements” during the investigation into an alleged N29 billion fraud case involving former Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako, died mysteriously after giving their statements.

The EFCC detective added that the two witnesses were very vital to the prosecution of the case.

Nyako is being prosecuted by the EFCC alongside his son, Senator Abdul-Aziz Nyako, Abubakar Aliyu and Zulkifikk Abba, on a 37-count charge of alleged N29 billion money laundering, criminal conspiracy, stealing and abuse of office.

Five firms that allegedly served as conduit pipes for the illegal diversion of the funds – Blue Opal Limited, Sebore Farms & Extension Limited, Pagoda Fortunes Limited, Tower Assets Management Limited and Crust Energy Limited, are also being prosecuted before the court as the 5th to 9th defendants.

Testifying as the 20th prosecution witness, Odofin, who had started his testimony on June 23, 2018 and tendered documents which were admitted in evidence, told the court on November 26, that Mohammad Maj Iro, who was the General Manager, Zenith Bank Plc, the Regional Manager in-charge of North-East,

and the Account Officer of Adamawa State 200 accounts, domiciled in Zenith Bank, died after making “crucial statements”, at the time of filing the case in the court.

While being led in evidence by the prosecuting lawyer, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, on November 27, the detective told the court that the EFCC also extended invitations to Dalhatu Abdulmalik, who was the cousin to Nyako and the Director of Ameak Investment Limited, Kirkelly Investment Limited and Pilkola Engineering Limited, and that after giving his own statement, during the point of filing the case in court, he also died.

Referring to Maj Iro, Odofin said he pulled out over N800 million from the Adamawa State account, and credited same to Crust Energy Limited, the 9th defendant in the case, taking orders from former Governor Nyako.

Odofin explained that transactions over two accounts belonging to the State (Special Service Department, SSD, and Secretary to the State Government, SSG) drew the attention of the EFCC.

He said: “The transactions on these accounts showed how money was being withdrawn in multiple of N10 million on different dates, running into billions of naira, by the late Mohammad Maj Iro.

“The question is, why did Maj Iro withdraw money from Adamawa State account, without being a staff of the state government? Investigations revealed that memos were originated from permanent secretaries of the SSD, Mohammed Ibrahim Jidado and that of the SSG, Emmanuel Ibrahim.

“Having generated these memos, same were forwarded to SSG for transmission to the number one citizen of the state, the governor. Upon the approval of these memos, same came back to the SSG”.

He explained that vouchers were raised after the approval of the memos, in the name of the Permanent Secretary, the Accountant and cashier as the same and now taken to Maj Iro.

Odofin said: “Having received these cheques, Maj Iro, being a seasoned banker, pulled out these monies from the two accounts ( SSD and SSG) and he started crediting various individuals and corporate accounts, most especially, without the knowledge of the account owners.

“Maj Iro credited Zenith Bank accounts of the 5th to the 9th defendants (Blue Opal Limited, Sebore Farms & Extension Limited, Pagoda Fortunes Limited, Tower Assets Management Limited and Crust Energy Limited),

out of the money he pulled out from Adamawa State account. Part of the money Maj Iro transferred to Tower Asset Management Limited, the sum of N678 million, was transferred to Crust Energy on different dates.

“Maj Iro also transferred N160 million out of the money he pulled out from Adamawa State account to a company called Maxion Option Limited. Maxion Option Limited transferred same to Crust Energy Limited Zenith Bank account”.

The witness further told the court how Maj Iro disbursed millions of naira to the companies used to launder state funds.

He said: “Maj Iro also transferred sums of money on different dates to Sabore Farms Limited. Out of the money transferred to the company by Maj Iro, the sum of N20 million was transferred to Mainstream Energy Limited.

Another N20 million was transferred from same Sabore Farms to one Sanni Hello of Mainstream Energy Limited. Another N10 million was transferred to Crust Energy Limited”, Odofin said.

The statements by Maj Iro at the Commission were later tendered and admitted in evidence by the court.

Justice Abang then said, “Statements made by Maj Iro on June 21, 2014; June 24, 2014; July 2, 2014; July 10, 2014; July 15, 2014; July 22, 2014; July 23, 2014; August 29, 2014 and October 22, 2014 is admitted in evidence as LL40-1 to Ll40-9, respectively”.

The court further admitted in evidence, the statements made by Dalhatu Abdulmalik and adjourned the matter till Thursday for continuation of trial.