The wife of a former Nigerian minister was paid N75 million
from public funds without executing any contract, an investigator told a
federal court on Wednesday.
An operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) told the Federal High Court in Abuja that Halima Turaki, wife of a
former minister, Tanimu Turaki, was paid the N75 million from funds earmarked by
her husband’s ministry for a sensitisation project.
Testifying as the 12th prosecution witness in Mr Turaki’s
trial on money laundering charges, Bello Hamma-Adama said Mrs Turaki confirmed
to the EFCC that she never executed any contract for the ministry.
Mr Turaki, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, was a former
Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs who was later given
an additional role as the Supervising Minister of Labour, during the Goodluck
Jonathan administration.
The anti-graft agency last year levelled 16 counts of money
laundering, jointly, against Mr Turaki, his former special assistant, Sampson
Okpetu, as well as two firms – Samtee Essentials Limited and Pasco Investment
Limited. They were accused of using different companies to divert about N854
million between 2013 and 2015.
The defendants denied the charges.
Diverted funds
Mr Hamma-Adama led by the prosecuting counsel, Mohammed
Abubakar, on Wednesday, testified that the defendants diverted N359 million
earmarked for a sensitisation project of the Federal Ministry Special Duties
and Inter-Governmental Affairs (FMSDIGA).
He told the court the fund was disbursed in tranches into
private bank accounts including the ones operated by Mr Turaki’s wife and
brother.
According to the witness, the former minister’s wife and one
of his brothers, Abdullahi Maigwandu, initially received N45 million each.
Questioned
He said the EFCC after gathering information about the shady
transactions invited Mrs Turaki for questioning during which she allegedly
confirmed receiving the payments without doing any job for the ministry.
The witness said, “she came alongside the 1st defendant (Mr
Turaki) and a lawyer. On video, she mentioned that the transaction was done at
her instance. She said she is a housewife.
“She said she was not a contractor with the Ministry of
Special Duties. She said she did not carry out any sensitisation exercise for
the ministry.”
The witness said Mrs Turaki, through her lawyer, Abdulaziz
Ibrahim, who is also the lawyer defending one of the accused companies,
refunded N75 million to the EFCC.
He also said N50 million was transferred to Abdulrahman
Yusuf, who was said to be a bureau de change operator and business associate of
Mr Turaki.
He added that Mr Yusuf transferred some of the funds to the
former minister and N20 million to Samtee Essentials Ltd, a firm said to be
owned by the second defendant.
According to the witness, Mr Yusuf also conceded that he did
not carry out any sensitisation programme for the ministry.
The judge, Inyang Ekwo, adjourned the case till February 9
and 10.
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