A fresh exhibit has been admitted against Head of Stakeholders Unit of the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS) Emmanuella Ita and Surestart School Limited.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in a statement, said the fresh exhibit was admitted by Justice F. Giwa Ogunbanjo of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday, January 22, 2024.

Ita and Surestart School Limited are standing trial on 25-count charges bordering on criminal misappropriation, diversion, criminal breach of trust and money laundering to the tune of N2billion.

Ita’s counsel, Paul Erokoro had objected to the admissibility of the statement of her client before the court, claiming that it was exacted from her under duress and in the absence of her counsel.

This came even as the defendant reportedly volunteered her statement to EFCC’s investigators in the presence of Eka Didara-Abasi Akpata, a lawyer from the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, who accompanied her to the EFCC office.

Ruling on the matter on Monday, Justice Ogunbanjo stated that the defence did not prove beyond reasonable doubt that the statement of the defendant was not voluntary.

Citing Section 15 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, he further stated that electronic recording of a defendant’s statement was not mandatory, so also the presence of a defendant’s counsel. With the ruling, the statement was admitted in evidence and marked “Exhibit 25.”
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Further on the matter, Ijeoma Matilda, an EFCC operative, led in evidence by prosecuting counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, concluded her testimony on the matter.

According to her, the information provided by System Specs, a Federal government Remittance payment platform through which funds were allegedly funneled into Surestart School Ltd between 2017 and 2018, amounted to N173,346,391.50. Surestart School Ltd is the second defendant, owned by the first defendant.

While the first defendant also claimed that she resigned as the director of Surestart School Ltd, the prosecution witness revealed that documents from the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, established that she was the owner of the school.

Speaking further, the witness stated that Ita has refunded about N19.5million so far, which was made at different dates into the EFCC`s account domiciled with the CBN.

Justice Ogunbanjo adjourned the matter to January 23 and 24, 2024.
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