Two witnesses of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Tuesday, gave contradictory testimonies at the Federal High Court, Abuja in the on-going trial of former Head of Service of the Federation, Mr. Stephen Oronsaye, over alleged money laundering, fraud and breach of trust.
Oronsaye and five others are facing an amended 35-count charge bordering on corruption, fraud and money laundering, preferred against them by the EFCC.
Oronsaye is charged along with Osarenkhoe Afe, Fedrick Hamilton Global Services Limited, Cluster Logistic Limited, Kangolo Dynamic Cleaning Limited, and Drew Investment & Construction Company Limited.
However, in their testimonies in the trial within trial being conducted by Justice Gabriel Kolawole to ascertain the claim by the 2nd defendant, Osarenkhoe Afe that his extra judicial statement was made under duress, two operatives of the EFCC, Mustapha Gadanya and Nurudeen Suleman, gave contradictory evidence on the claim.
Gadanya, who first testified for EFCC at the resumed hearing on Tuesday, told the court that his team never seized mobile phones, laptops, and ipads from Afe.
He admitted that a search warrant was executed in the house of the 2nd defendant (Afe) in the Jabi Area of Abuja but denied the claim by the defendant that the three items were carted away from his house.
Gadanya, who was cross examined by Mr. Oluwole Aladedoye, counsel to Afe, told Justice Gabriel Kolawole that the search warrant was executed in 2011 on the house of Afe on the order of a superior officer, based on investigation conducted in a petition against the defendants.
However, another witness who is also an operative of the EFCC, Mr. Nurudeen Suleman, who was led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, admitted that he participated in the execution of the search warrant in the house of the 2nd defendant.
Under cross examination by Olowole Aladedoye, the witness told Justice Kolawole that mobile phones, ipad, laptop and a paper envelope containing cheque books and documents relating to the office of the Head of Service of the Federation were found in the house of the 2nd defendant and carted away to the EFCC office along with the 2nd defendant.
The witness further told the court that the search team comprising four operatives including an armed mobile policeman executed the search warrant and reported to their superior officer for further investigation.
Justice Kolawole had ordered a trial within trial into the Oronsaye case following a claim by the second defendant that his extra judicial statement was made to the EFCC operatives under duress.
However, the claim of the 2nd defendant is being disputed by EFCC which counter claimed that the statement was voluntarily made in the open interrogation hall of the commission.
Meanwhile further trial has been adjourned till July 7 by Justice Kolawole at the instanc of parties in the trial.
