A prosecution witness for the Economic and Financial Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ade Babatunde, yesterday told a Federal High Court, Lagos how funds belonging to the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) were allegedly converted by some of its officials.
The witness, a staff of Stanbic IBTC Bank, gave the evidence at the resumed trial of a former NAMA Managing Director, Ibrahim Abdulsalam, charged with conversion of money in the tune of N6.8 billion.
Abdulsalam is charged alongside other accused including a former General Manager of Procurement, Olumuyiwa Adegorite, and a former General Manager of Finance, Segun Agbolade,
Others are a former acting General Manager of ICT, Bolaniran Akinribido, Sesebor Abiodun, and Joy Adegorite. Also charged are two Limited Liability companies Randville investment Limited, and Multeng Travels and Tours Limited.
When the case was called yesterday, the prosecutor, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo resumed his examination of the first witness for the prosecution (PW1).
Oyedepo prayed the court for exhibit ‘A’ to be handed over to the witness for purposes of his evidence in chief, and asked the witness to tell the court about the transaction highlighted as exhibit 002.
In response, the witness told the court that the said exhibit was in relation to the account statement of Segun Agbolade (third accused) with account number 9201060421.
The witness described “002” to mean a transaction description or a narration for posting transactions. He told the court that between January 2 and January 3, 2013, there were transactions with narration 002, for the transfer of N13.1 million from the account of Akinribido (fourth accused) to Agbolade (third accused).
He said that the transfer came in tranches of N3.1 million on January 2, and in two tranches of N5 million each, on January 3, 2013. In response, the witness told the court that all funds were pulled from the account of Akinribido to the third accused, (Agbolade).
He added that specifically on January 17, 2013, there was a transfer of N10 million to Randsville Investment Ltd. Justice Babs Kuewumi adjourned the case to March 13, for continuation of trial.
