A witness has revealed how funds meant for local governments were withdrawn and transferred to government officials amid the ongoing trial of a former Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku, and erstwhile permanent secretary in the state’s Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Bello Yero.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, in a statement on Monday, said the witness, Taiwo Johns, gave the testimony before Justice S.C. Oriji of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, during the ongoing trial over the alleged N27 billion fraud.
The commission said Mr Johns told the court that several sums of money, allegedly federal government subventions, were transferred by local governments into the account of his company, P3 Cornerstone.
He said that after the funds were received, he reported the transactions to officials of the ministry and was on several occasions instructed to either withdraw the money in cash or transfer it to designated accounts.
“One of the transactions occurred on October 11, 2019, when Yoro Local Government allegedly lodged N50 million into P3 Cornerstone’s account. The transaction is from Yoro Local Government on October 11, 2019. Yoro Local Government made a lodgment of N50m into P3 Cornerstone.
“On the same day the amount was reported to the Perm Sec, they asked me to make a withdrawal of the amount, which I did, and the Perm Sec came to the bank. I handed it to the Perm Sec and Dare Lawal,” the witness told the court.
The witness also testified about another transaction involving N58 million which he said was deposited into the account and reported to the permanent secretary and Babangida Hassan, the director of finance.
“On the same day the amount was reported to the Perm Sec, they asked me to make a withdrawal of the amount in which I did, and the Perm Sec came to the bank, I handed it to the perm sec and Dare Lawal,” Mr Johns added. “The sum of N58,500,000 was deposited and I reported it to the Permanent Secretary and Babangida Hassan, the Director of Finance.”
The witness also testified about transactions involving Ardo Kola and Gassol local governments, citing N117,000,000, N55,000,000 and N30,498,593 at different dates.
He told the court that on March 23, 2020, N11.350,000, N75,000,000 and N2,500,036.25 were received by P3 Cornerstone.
According to him, on March 24, 2020, N20,470,036.25 was deposited into the company’s account, while another N1,500,036.25 was also received.
Mr Johns further told the court that on September 14, 2020, P3 Cornerstone received N39,999,300.45, while N39,999,500 was received from Zing Local Government on the same day, adding that N7,850,000 was also received into P3 Cornerstone Limited from Yoro Local Government on September 14, 2020.
Following the testimony, prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, tendered additional documents before the court.
Justice S.C. Oriji adjourned the matter till October 6, 2026, for continuation of the evidence of PW3.