Alex Enumah in Abuja
A witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) within the ongoing trial of former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Abubakar Sirika, has admitted that the ex minister was not a signatory to the award of consultancy contract by the Federal Ministry of Aviation to the tune of N599 million.
The witness, Christopher Odofin, additionally advised the courtroom that from the face of the paperwork main to the award of the disputed contract, there was nothing implicating the previous minister within the contract points.
Odofin, an investigator with the EFCC, acknowledged this whereas responding to questions from Sirika’s lawyer, a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), through the continuation of trial of the previous minister on the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, in Maitama, Abuja.
Sirika is being prosecuted by the EFCC, alongside his daughter, Fatima and son-in-law, Hamma Jalal Sule, and an organization allegedly owned by the couple, Al Buraq Global Investment Limited, on a six-count cost bordering on abuse of workplace and contract fraud to the tune of N2.8 billion.
According to the cost, the previous minister was stated to have abused his workplace when he allegedly conferred unfair benefit on Al Buraq Global Investment Limited through the use of his place to affect award of contract for the apron extension on the Katsina Airport for the sum of N1,498,300,750, amongst different alleged offences.
The actions, the fee claimed, had been opposite to the provisions of Sections 12 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, and Section 17(b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004, in addition to Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532 Acts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and punishable below the identical sections.
However, the previous minister and his co-defendants pleaded not responsible to the cost most well-liked in opposition to them.
At Thursday’s continuing, the EFCC’s witness when confronted with tendered prosecution’s paperwork admitted that the letter of contract award was not signed by the previous minister and that Sirika was additionally not a member of the Ministerial Tenders Board of the Aviation Ministry that awarded the contract in dispute.
He advised the courtroom that on the face of the contract award doc, there was nothing to present that the Director of Procurement within the ministry who signed the contract papers ought not to have signed the contract.
However, Odofin acknowledged that the previous minister was charged to courtroom due to his oral instruction on the contract for N599 million which was past the edge, alleging that the contract was awarded to Sirika’s affiliate.
On the voice be aware extracted from the cellphone of the previous Permanent Secretary of the Aviation Ministry, Mr Abel Enitan, the witness admitted that the phone the place the voice extraction was carried out was not earlier than the courtroom and that there was no proof that what was extracted from the cellphone was served on the proprietor of the cellphone.
He admitted that the EFCC accomplished its investigation as at April 26, 2024 when the costs in opposition to the defendants had been filed earlier than the courtroom however nevertheless, advised the courtroom that he was not conscious of the collection of further proofs of proof filed by the prosecution after the cost had been filed.
He additionally stated that he was not conscious of how 11 individuals listed as witnesses within the preliminary proof of proof was elevated to 20.
Answering questions from the counsel to the second defendant, Efut Okoi, the witness admitted that Sirika’s daughter, Fatima, charged together with him, was not the Chief Executive Officer of Al Buraq Global Investment Limited that was awarded the contract for the enlargement of apron on the Katsina Airport.
He additionally stated that the digital forensic report utilized in submitting the costs was not ready by him however by one Bello Gideon.
He advised the courtroom that he didn’t extract extrajudicial statements from officers of the Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Airport Authority and Katina State authorities on the enlargement of the Katsina Airport apron.
He advised the courtroom that as of the time of awarding the contract for the enlargement of the apron to Al Buraq Global Investment, Abel Enitan was Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Aviation and the Chairman of the Ministerial Tenders Board.
Meanwhile, Justice Sylvanus Oriji has adjourned the case to October 20 and 28 for the continuation of cross-examination of the witness.
