Crime

Former Nigerian Bar Association President, Usoro paid Akwa-Ibom Attorney General N65million, -witness tells court

A second prosecution witness, Abdulrahman Rabo, in the ongoing trial of former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, (NBA), Paul Usoro on Friday revealed to the court how the defendant had paid the sum of N65m into the account of Uwemedimo Nwoko, Attorney- General, Akwa-Ibom State.

Penpushing reports that, Head of Media and Publicity of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,(EFCC), Wilson Uwujaren made this known in a statement adding that, the witness told the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos State

The agency spokesman said Usoro was first arraigned on December 18, 2018 before Justice Muslim Hassan of the Federal High Court and later re-arraigned on March 1, 2019 before Justice Aikawa on a 10-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of N1.4bn brought against him by the commission.

The statement said, one of the counts reads: “ That you, Paul Usoro, SAN, Emmanuel Udom (currently constitutionally immune against criminal prosecution), Uwemedimo Thomas Nwoko (still at large), Nsikan Linus Nkan, Commissioner of Finance, Akwa Ibom State (still at large), Mfon Jacobson Udomah, Accountant-General, Akwa Ibom State (still at large) and Margaret Thompson Ukpe (still at large), sometime in 2015 in Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court, conspired amongst yourselves to commit an offence, to wit: conversion of the sum of N1. 410, 000, 000, 000.00 (One Billion, Four Hundred and Ten Million Naira), property of the Government of Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity to wit: criminal breach of trust and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.”

Penpushing further reports that,Uwujaren  added further in the statement that, the defendant pleaded “not guilty” to the charge preferred against him, adding that at the Friday  sitting, Arabo, an investigator with the EFCC, told the court that Nwoko ignored the EFCC’s invitation when he was invited to corroborate the claims of the defendant that the sum of N65m paid into his personal account was payment for lawyers who handled the election tribunal matter in court.

The statement said, when asked by the defence counsel, O.E.B Offiong, SAN, if he could not have called any of the lawyers who received the money from the Attorney General on the account of the defendant, Arabo said “The Attorney-General was the only one we could call because the money went into his personal account and it was natural to invite him as the sole signatory to the account.”

Penpushing also reports that, the commission said  during cross-examination, Arabo further told the court that though the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had written letters to the Secretary to the State Government of Akwa-Ibom state requesting the release of certain officials, the Attorney-General was at that time not included because the need had not arisen, adding that,“however, when he was needed, he failed to show up.”

Meanwhile, the statement said, the trial judge Justice Rilwan  Aikawa adjourned the case to January 20 and 21, 2021 for continuation of trial.

FOOTNOTE: You want to share story with us? You want to advertise with us? You need publicity for product, or service, or   event? Contact us on WhatsApp +2348073463653 or email [email protected]

 

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Back to top button