Court to begin trial-within-trial on March 8
Former Director, Finance and Account, National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Mr. Patrick Areh, has told a Federal High Court in Abuja that the statement he made on January 11, 2016, on the alleged N2.8 billion fraud was not voluntary.
Areh, who made a two-page statement and endorsed same before the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday, alleged through his counsel, Ike C. Frank, that he made the statement which admitted the transfer of N2.8 billion from the commission’s bank account with Zenith Bank to Technology Advisor account under duress.
The defence counsel raised the allegation of duress just as the prosecution counsel, Ben Ikani, applied to tender Areh’s statement through the first prosecution witness, John S. Ejim, an operative of the EFCC.
The witness had told the court that a petition written by one Oke Nwafor ignited the arrest of former Director-General, NBC, Emeka Mba; Areh, Basil Udotai of Technology Advisors firm as well as Babatunji Amure of Divine Partners.
He added that the defendants conspired among themselves and transferred N2,899,723,500.00, being the proceeds of sales of 700 mega head of spectrum deposited at the commission’s Zenith Bank account to Technology Advisor account.
The witness added that the diverted money was illegally paid to set-top boxes manufacturer under the digital switch over platform.The court admitted in evidence copy of the petition sent to Executive Chairman of the EFCC and addressed to the President.
The trial judge, Justice Gabriel Kolawole, stated that the court would conduct a trial-within-trial on March 8, 2017 to ascertain the admissibility of the second defendant’s confessional statement.The four defendants are facing a 15-count charge bordering on corruption and money laundering.
