A prosecution witness, Alhaji Aliyu Zubairu, told an FCT High Court that he was given N25 million to give to the former Managing Director of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, Umar Abubakar.
NAN reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on November 23, 2017 arraigned Abubakar, Henry Sambo, Adebayo Aderibigbe, Chief Richard Uche and Aderemi Adegboyega on an 18-count charge bordering on conspiracy, abuse of office and illegal diversion of public funds.
Zubairu, a former Deputy General Manager and Head of cooperate Affairs of the NSITF, alleged that the money was given to him by a Media Consultant.
He said: “I gave the N25 million to Mohammed Inuwa, the then Technical Assistant to Abubakar, on his instruction, since he was not in the country.
“I did not know what the money was for.
“All I did I did was to receive the money and gave it to my boss’s aide.”
The prosecution counsel, Steve Odiase, told the court that between 2012 and 2015, the defendants received kick-backs in dollars in the discharge of their duties.
Odiase also alleged that the defendants diverted the contributions from the Federal Government of Nigeria as take-off grants and Employees Compensation Scheme for Ministries Departments and Agencies.
After hearing the testimony, Justice Silvanus Orji adjourned the case to May 10, June 11 and June 12 for cross-examination of the witness
NAN reports that the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against them and were admitted to bail in the sum of N50 million each with two sureties each in like sum.
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