An aide to former governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba, on Tuesday, told a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court how he collected and disbursed billions of naira on the instruction of his former boss.
Ismail Lawal, the first prosecution witness, testified before Justice S.C. Oriji in the trial of Ishaku and Bello Yero, a former permanent secretary in the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting the duo on a 15-count charge bordering on conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, and diversion of N27 billion.
Lawal said he received money in cash, through transfers, and from various government officials, all on the directive of Ishaku.
“I disbursed the N27 billion on His Excellency’s orders. The instructions were verbal, but sometimes through text messages and sometimes through writing on paper,” he told the court under cross-examination by P. H. Ogbole, SAN, counsel to Ishaku.
NAIJAONPOINT said he collected N10 million in Abuja from Dauda, the Taraba liaison officer, on December 13, 2020.
He added that he received N7 million from the Director of Finance in the Taraba Government House, Emmanuel Ifun, on December 11, 2020.
Reading from his notebook, Lawal listed other collections, including N50 million from the permanent secretary on December 20, 2020, N30 million on January 12, 2021, and N20 million on January 27, 2021.
He also recalled collecting N4 million from Ifun on January 30, 2021, and another N23 million on January 1, 2022.
“On the 3rd of February 2021, I collected N20 million again from Mr. Emmanuel Ifun; on the 5th of February, I collected N6.5 million; on the 6th of February, I collected N20 million; on the 10th of February, I collected N14 million,” he said.
Lawal added that N30 million was also transferred directly into his Zenith Bank account.
He explained that all entries in his record book were made by him but were verified by Ishaku.
“This record is strictly between me and His Excellency. Any money I received, I recorded it here. It is a record book between me and His Excellency. I kept the record and His Excellency verified it,” he said.
Justice Oriji adjourned the case to October 20, November 4, and November 6 for continuation of trial.