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‘Operator of Bukola Saraki’s foreign account, not a bank’

By Bridget Chiedu Onochie, Abuja
18 January 2017   |   4:39 am
The trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki over alleged false assets declaration continued yesterday with second prosecution witness, Amazu Nwanchukwu, stating that Amex Limited, operator of Saraki’s foreign card was not a bank.
Senate President Bukola Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), PHOTO: LUCY LADIDI ELUKPO

Senate President Bukola Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), PHOTO: LUCY LADIDI ELUKPO

The trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki over alleged false assets declaration continued yesterday with second prosecution witness, Amazu Nwanchukwu, stating that Amex Limited, operator of Saraki’s foreign card was not a bank.

The witness, a senior staff of the Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB) also told the Code of Conduct Tribunal, that he was given the documents he read at the tribunal by the prosecution, stressing that he had no knowledge of the alleged transactions.

Under cross-examination by counsel to Saraki, Paul Usoro (SAN), the witness said: “I was just ask to read the documents, not that I know anything about them. I saw the telexes said to have been used for funds transfer to foreign countries when I came into contact with this case. I have nothing to do with the transfer. I was not the one who conducted the transfer.”

The witness further told the tribunal that he did not see the documents at the Ilorin branch of the bank and that he never saw the forms filled by Saraki for the alleged funds transfer.

When asked further, the witness admitted that he was not the one that collated the forms and that he did not source for the documents from the Ilorin branch to authenticate the alleged funds transfer.

“I am only concerned about my unit and I am talking as a staff of the bank and not as one who works at the branch where the alleged funds transfer was carried out in Ilorin.”

The witness further told the tribunal that he made his statement at the office of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on September 10, 2015, five days after Saraki had been charged before the tribunal by the Federal Government.

On Saraki’s relationship with American Express Bank and Fortis Bank of London, the witness informed Justice Umar Danladi-led tribunal that he did not consult with the two banks to know their relationship with Saraki.

He further stated that he did not know anything about the mortgage serviced by Saraki when he was the governor of Kwara State.

“I have never seen the agreement paper or any account opening mandate with Fortis Bank to establish that the defendant maintained a foreign accounts with Fortis Bank of London.

“I have never seen the fund transfer request forms from the defendant. My unit, the fund transfer unit does not have direct interface with the customer. We do not also interface with beneficiaries of transferred funds.

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