N27bn fraud: Witness tells court how Taraba LG funds were allegedly withdrawn, transferred

The trial of former Taraba State Governor, Darius Dickson Ishaku, and a former Permanent Secretary in the state’s Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Bello Yero, took a fresh turn on Monday as the third prosecution witness, PW3, Taiwo Johns, revealed how funds meant for local governments were allegedly withdrawn and transferred to government officials.

The witness gave the testimony before Justice S.C. Oriji of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, during the ongoing trial over the alleged N27 billion fraud.

Led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, Johns told the court that several sums of money, allegedly Federal Government subventions, were transferred by local governments into the account of his company, P3 Cornerstone.

He said that after the funds were received, he reported the transactions to officials of the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and was, on several occasions, instructed to either withdraw the money in cash or transfer it to designated accounts.

According to the witness, one of the transactions occurred on October 11, 2019, when Yoro Local Government allegedly lodged N50 million into P3 Cornerstone’s account.

“The transaction is from Yoro Local Government on October 11, 2019. Yoro Local Government made a lodgment of N50m into P3 Cornerstone,” he said.

Johns said he subsequently reported the transaction to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and was instructed to withdraw the money.

“On the same day the amount was reported to the Perm Sec, they asked me to make a withdrawal of the amount, which I did, and the Perm Sec came to the bank. I handed it to the Perm Sec and Dare Lawal,” he told the court.

The witness also testified about another transaction involving N58 million, which he said was deposited into the account and reported to the Permanent Secretary and Babangida Hassan, the Director of Finance.

“The sum of N58,500,000 was deposited and I reported it to the Permanent Secretary and Babangida Hassan, the Director of Finance,” he said.

He referred to Exhibit 11, telling the court that it contained a cheque of N64.95 million from Gassol Local Government dated November 5, 2019.

Johns added that N1.45 million was sent to P3 Cornerstone on the same date and that the money was paid into the Emirate and Traditional Council account. He explained that the account was used for the payment of salaries, allowances and medical expenses of emirs and chiefs.

The witness also testified about transactions involving Ardo Kola and Gassol local governments.

“There is a manager’s cheque of Ardo Kola Local Government on November 28, 2019, of N55m. On the same date, N62m entered P3 Cornerstone from Gassol Local Government,” he said.

According to Johns, N50 million from the Gassol transaction was withdrawn and handed over to the Permanent Secretary at a UBA branch, while another portion was transferred to one Prince.

“On the same date, November 29, 2019, Prince received N5.6m. The balance was cashed and handed over to the Perm Sec and Dare Lawal in UBA.”

Continuing his testimony, the witness referred the court to Exhibit 9 and narrated another transaction involving Gassol Local Government on December 2, 2019.

“On December 2, 2019, there was a transaction of N17,378,542 and N13,120,051 from Gassol Local Government lodged. I reported the case to my Director of Finance, Babangida Hassan. He instructed me to withdraw the money: N30,498,593. I handed it over to the Director of Finance and Dare Lawal.”

He added that the money was handed over to the Permanent Secretary and Dare Lawal on the instruction of the Permanent Secretary.

The witness further testified about transactions involving P3 Cornerstone in March and September 2020.

He told the court that on March 23, 2020, N11.350 million, N75 million and N2,500,036.25 were received by P3 Cornerstone.

According to him, on March 24, 2020, N20,470,036.25 was deposited into the company’s account, while another N1,500,036.25 was also received.

Johns further told the court that on September 14, 2020, P3 Cornerstone received N39,999,300.45, while N39,999,500 was received from Zing Local Government on the same day.

He added that N7,850,000 was also received into P3 Cornerstone Limited from Yoro Local Government on September 14, 2020.

N27bn fraud: Witness tells court how Taraba LG funds were allegedly withdrawn, transferred