N1.35bn fraud: Payments genuine business transactions, not bribes —Witnesses

From** Godwin Tsa**, Abuja

Two witnesses called by former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, yesterday told the Federal High Court,Abuja ,that multi-million-naira payments made to companies linked to his family were legitimate business transactions and not kickbacks paid to the former governor.

The witnesses, Odunayo Emasealu, Managing Director of Interior Woodwork Ltd., and Joerg Adelt, a former Finance Director at Dantata and Sawoe, gave evidence in the ongoing trial of Lamido, his sons, Aminu and Mustapha, and other defendants.

The other defendants are Aminu Wada Abubakar, Bamaina Company Nigeria Ltd., Bamaina Aluminium Ltd., Speeds International Ltd. and Bartholomew Darlington Agoha.

They are facing a 37-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged financial crimes relating to contracts awarded during Lamido’s tenure as governor between 2007 and 2015.

Emasealu, who appeared as the third defence witness, told Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu that his friendship with Mustapha Lamido dated back to 2000, when they met in Kano, years before Sule Lamido became governor.

He said he sold a Range Rover to Mustapha for N16 million and later gave him an interest-free loan of N48 million to assist an ailing person.

According to him, the loan had since been fully repaid.

When asked by Lamido’s counsel, Joe Agi, SAN, whether the money was intended for the former governor or constituted gratification, Emasealu replied: “It wasn’t.”

He further told the court that the contract secured by his company from the Jigawa State Government was awarded directly by the state government and that he had no personal dealings with Lamido. The witness said he did not even know Sule Lamido at the time the contract was awarded.

Adelt, who testified remotely from Germany via Zoom, also maintained that the transactions in question were genuine commercial dealings.

Adelt, who worked with Dantata and Sawoe between 2007 and 2021, told the court that Bamaina Holdings Ltd., Gada International Ltd. and Speeds International Ltd. supplied diesel and bitumen to the construction company under legitimate contracts.

He identified the invoices, cheques and other supporting documents tendered before the court as authentic.

Asked whether the payments the EFCC had alleged were bribes were actually payments for goods supplied, Adelt answered in the affirmative.

He also denied any connection between the transactions and money laundering.

According to him, Dantata and Sawoe routinely sourced diesel, bitumen and other materials from established suppliers, including Honeywell, Coinoil, Total and Eternal Oil.

He therefore described the transactions involving the companies linked to the Lamido family as part of the company’s normal commercial activities.

The witness also rejected the suggestion that Sule Lamido’s influence enabled the companies to secure contracts from Dantata and Sawoe.

He stressed that the documents relating to the transactions were prepared long before the EFCC commenced its investigation.

During cross-examination, EFCC counsel, Chile Okoroma, SAN, questioned the witnesses on aspects of their testimony, including the absence of a written agreement for the N48 million loan said to have been given by Emasealu.

Okoroma also questioned Adelt on his knowledge of the bidding process through which the companies secured the contracts.

Adelt, however, explained that bidding was outside his responsibilities as the company’s financial controller.

The EFCC subsequently asked the court for an adjournment to enable it to continue cross-examining Adelt.

Justice Ojukwu said a new date for continuation of the trial would be communicated to the parties.

Alternative punchier headline:

N1.35bn Fraud: Lamido’s witnesses deny kickbacks, say payments were for genuine business.

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