The trial of a former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode commenced afresh at the Federal High Court Lagos today with an Investigating Officer, of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), Mr Shehu Shuaibu, narrating how the sum of N1.5 billion was fraudulently transferred from the Ministry of External Affairs account to Joint Trust Dimension Nigeria Limited account allegedly belonging to the former Minister.
Fani-Kayode is standing trial alongside a former Minister of State for Finance, Nenadi Usman, a former Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Yusuf Danjuma, and a company, Jointrust Dimensions Nigeria Ltd.
Led in evidence by the EFCC prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, the witness stated that his team, from the Special Task Force of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), was assigned to investigate a petition which alleged that the total sum of N1.5 billion was fraudulently transferred from Ministry of External Affairs account to Joint Trust Dimension Nigeria Limited account No 1010740698 with Zenith Bank.
He said “We commenced investigation immediately and wrote a letter of investigation activities to Zenith Bank requesting for a statement of account of Joint Trust and all the transactions in the account”
“We received the response and analysed them. Our findings revealed that on January 8, 13, and 16,2015, the sum of N300 million, N400 million, and N800 million respectively were transferred from the Ministry of Affairs research library account, Ministry of External Affairs research project account, and Ministry of External Affairs research capital account respectively into Joint Trust Dimension Nigeria Limited account.
The witness further said that these monies were moved into Femi Fani-Kayode ‘s (second defendant) company account, Joint Trust Dimension Nigeria Limited with Zenith Bank.
The witness stated that between February 20 to the end of March 2015, the second defendant withdrew N200 million cash, and between Match 20 and 25, he withdrew another sum of over N250million.
According to the witness, on February 12 one Olubode (now at large) made a cash payment for the sum of N24 million to a company, Paste Poster at No 125 Lewis Street, Lagos, and also on February 12, made an additional cash payment for the sum of N60 million to the same company, Paste Poster of No 125 Lewis Street Lagos Island.
Justice Osiagor has adjourned further hearings in the matter till March 25.
