A prosecution witness, Ismail Lawal, in the trial of former governor of Taraba, Darius Ishaku told an Abuja High Court that he was instructed to collect all allowances due to the defendant.
Ishaku and a former Permanent Secretary, Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in the state, Bello Yero, are charged with 15 counts bordering on criminal breach of trust, conspiracy and conversion of N27 billion public funds by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The defendants however, pleaded not guilty.
Lawal, the first Prosecution Witness (PW1), was a Personal Assistant to the former governor.
He told the court under cross examination by Counsel for Ishaku, Paul Ogbole, SAN, that he knew was that as a sitting governor, the former governor was entitled to some allowances.
These allowances, he said, include travel, domestic staff, vehicle maintenance, medical, security and severance.
“I collected much of these allowances on his behalf. I don’t know how much was the security allowance.
“I don’t know the total amount of the allowances.
”As a law-abiding citizen, who has never been involved in any criminality, while working for the first defendant, I collected money on his (Ishaku’s) behalf as instructed,” he said.
He added that while working for the former governor, he was not under any compulsion and never did anything to undermine his principal or any institution.
Lawal said that he was in EFCC custody for 40 days because he failed to meet the bail conditions given to him by the commission after he was arrested in Lagos.
He said that he was shocked and confused when he was arrested by EFCC operatives.
Lawal further told the court that aside the statement he made when he was arrested in Lagos in the presence of his friend, there were other statements he made to EFCC.
The witness said that the commission did not tell him that he would be a prosecution witness while he was in detention.
However, he said he was told that the statement he made might be used against him in court.
When asked if he knew a company called Barrett Holdings, the witness answered in the affirmative .
“I do not the company’s directors or shareholders nor the relationship between Ishaku and the company.
“I paid money into Barrett Holdings’ account a couple of times.
“Sometimes I pay the allowances I was instructed to collect and sometimes he gives me cash to pay into the account,” he said.
The witness also confirmed to the court that he operated an account in Fidelity Bank being run by him and his father.
He added that he made transfers to his family members from his Zenith Bank account.
Justice Slyvanius Oriji, adjourned the case until Sept. 30 for continuation of cross examination of the PW1.
