Witness faults Oronsaye, EFCC’s fresh evidence rejected

A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court was yesterday told that the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) did not approve the Access Bank account opened by former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Stephen Oronsaye.

Mr. Hamma-Adama Bello, an officer of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) made this known when he testified as the sixth witness in the trial yesterday.

Oronsaye was alleged to have deposited money meant for the Presidential Committee on Financial Action Task Force, which he chaired into a fixed bond in Access Bank known only to him.

Bello, who investigated the matter, told the court that no other member was aware of this second account.

The witness, led in evidence by the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Offem Uket, said the rule was that ministries or agencies could not invest fund without the approval from the office of the AGF.

He said that the committee presented a request of N164 million and it was paid into the committee’s official account with Zenith Bank by the Presidency.

He said that Oronsaye also presented the same request to Central Bank of Nigeria and was also paid.

Bello also said that when Oronsaye wanted to open the account, the account officer raised question of number of signatories and letter of approval from AGF office.
He said that the rule was that at least there must be two signatories to such account but Oronsaye told them that they should go ahead.

The witness told the court that there were 26 investments into the account, four in-flows of N50 million, N90 million, N45 million and 100 million.

Bello told the court that the first N50 million was withdrawn remaining less than N500,000.
The witness said that out of this amount, N45 million was from the office of National Security Adviser (NSA) and it came in N9 million each time .

He said the rule was that any idle money in the ministries or agencies should be invested in treasury bills and that only the AGF could give approval for opening of government accounts.