Presidential FATF: Witness reveal how Oronsaye diverted N250million

Ngunna Akwagh, who works at the operations department of the Exonomic and Financial Crimes Commission, has tohas told the court how the former head of service to the federation gave the sum of N100 million to his personal staff, and diverted a total of N250million

During her examination, the prosecuting witness 1, the court that her team was asssigned to investigate a petition written against Oronsaye by Cncerned Citizens on Anti-corruption in Nigeria, which alleged that Oronsaye had some fraudulent activities going on as rehards his chairmanshup of the Presidential Committee on Financial Action Task Force to the tune of N850 million.

She said the petition sent to the EFCC alleged that Oronsaye issued the sum of N850million while he also maintained an account with Access Bank, which members of the committee were never aware of, as funds were used for his personal use rather than the committee’s.

PW1 told the court that a letter was written by her team to Access Bank to make available the account opening package, mandate card and statement of account, of the said account with Access Bank.

Having furnished the team with the necessary documents, further analysis of the statement of account showed that the account was opened in 2012 on the request of Oronsaye, named “Presidential Committee on Financial Action Task Force”, and Oronsaye was the sole signatory, while his international passport was the means of identification.

“The team found out that the account has been funded by three transfers from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and a N45 million deposit by the defendant,” she said.

According to her, N50 million was transferred in October 2012, N90 million in May 2013, and “in September 2013, the defendant made five deposits of N90 million into the account, transfer of N100million was made into the account from CBN”.

“N50million deposit was withdrawn by a cheque issued to various persons by the defendant. N100 million transfer was also paid into fixed deposit, as well as N30 million, N10 million and three transfers of N20 million by the defendant on the same day,” she added.

She added that the defendant as the sole signatory to the account issued cheque to different persons from the account.

“My lord we were unable to reach the individuals because from the narration of the account statement the beneficiaries were just names and there were no addresses on the statement,” she said.

She during his interrogation, Oronsaye revealed that those payed were his peraonal staffs and he would produce them upon his next visit to the commission, but he was only able to bring one Sunday, who is a staff of the State Security Service (SSS).

The witness however said that Oronsaye was unable to produce the other beneficiaries.

But Jamal Alabi, a member and secretary  of the presidnetial committee, upon interrogation by the EFCC had said that he was only aware of the committee’s account with Zenith Bank account and not Access Bank.

She said investigation by EFCC showed that the original committee’s account with Zenith bank had Oronsaye, chairman of the committee and Alabi, secretary as signatories.

According to her, investigations revealed that Oronsaye assessed all the investments and all matured interests on the account running to a total of 26 of various sums, 22 of them were liquidated, by the time of request for the bank details, 4 of the investments were active to a total of N150million.

Due to the non availability of the letters of correspondence between the Accountant General of the Federation and EFCC on the prosecutions’s enquiry, to which the cross examination was stood down for a later date.

Earlier, Justice Goodluck had ordered the immediate trial of a former Head of Service after he had pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to him.

The former HOSF was arraigned before the court by the EFCC, on a two-count charge against the accused person, allowed the prosecution time to bring in their witnesses.

She stood down the matter for one hour after the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.

He was however granted in the sum of N10million, two sureties in the sum of N5million each who must be retired or serving directors in the federal civil service or a federal parastatal and must be resident in FCT, of which the proof of residence would be subject to court’s satisfaction.

SEYI ANJORIN