A prosecution witness has told an Abuja High Court that about N1.8 billion in local government funds was transferred into his private company account during the administration of former Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku.
The witness, Taiwo Jones, gave the testimony on Monday during the ongoing trial of Ishaku and a former Permanent Secretary in the Taraba State Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Bello Yero.
Jones, who served as an assistant cashier in the bureau, testified as a witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The EFCC is prosecuting Ishaku and Yero on charges bordering on criminal breach of trust, conspiracy and alleged conversion of public funds.
The anti-graft agency alleged that the defendants were involved in the diversion of public funds amounting to N27 billion.
Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
While being led in evidence by EFCC counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, Jones told the court that he received several transfers from Gassol Local Government Area of Taraba State.
According to him, a total of 69 transfers were made into his company account.
He estimated the total sum received to be between N1.7 billion and N1.8 billion.
Jones said the transfers were made on the instructions of the former permanent secretary, Yero, and the Director of Finance.
He told the court that once the money entered his account, he would notify them and receive further instructions on what to do with the funds.
The witness said he was sometimes directed to send money to a person identified as Prince in Abuja or to withdraw part of the funds in cash.
After withdrawals, he said the cash would be confirmed by Dare Lawal, the first prosecution witness, and others.
When Justice Sylvanus Oriji asked him to identify the “others,” Jones named Yero, a driver and Lawal.
The witness further alleged that Yero sometimes took the cash to the Taraba State Government House.
Jones said he knew this because he occasionally drove the former permanent secretary to the Government House with money packed inside a Ghana-must-go bag.
During the proceedings, Jacobs also drew the court’s attention to a N100 million transaction into the account of P3 Cornerstone.
The transaction, according to the prosecution, was supported by an e-payment advice dated December 24, 2018.
Asked to explain the transaction, Jones said it was prepared by the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and authorised by two signatories.
He said the narration on the transaction stated that the money was meant for the purchase of assorted grains for distribution during Christmas and New Year.
However, the witness told the court that the funds were not used to buy assorted grains.
According to him, he withdrew the money and handed it over to Lawal.
Jones also testified that he received N30 million from the salary transmission account of Donga Local Government Area of Taraba State.
Justice Oriji adjourned the case until Tuesday for continuation of trial.
