Court Fixes April 20 for Cross-examination of EFCC Witness in Ex-Kwara Gov’s Trial

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

A Kwara State High Court in Ilorin yesterday fixed April 20 for the cross-examination of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) witness in the trial of former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and his Finance Commissioner, Hon. Demola Banu, on the alleged diversion of N5.78bn from the State Universal Basic Education Board fund.

Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar stated this in Ilorin after the conclusion of the prosecution’s examination-in-chief, Mr.Stanley Ujilibo, at the resumed hearing of the trial of the former governor and Hon. Banu.

Ahmed and Banu are being prosecuted by the Ilorin Zonal directorate of the EFCC, over an alleged diversion of part of ₦5.78 billion UBEC fund .

The EFCC had arraigned the duo on 16-count charge but had so far abandoned about 8 charges since the beginning of the trial .

Earlier, testifying before the court as the sixth prosecution witness, an investigator with the, EFCC, Mr.. Ujilibo, told the court that funds released to the Kwara state government for 2013, 2014 and 2015 were not utilised in line with the action plans submitted by the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

Led in evidence by Adebisi Adeniyi of the chambers of Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, the witness (Ujilibo), informed the court that the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) had presented detailed action plans outlining various educational projects across the state, backed with evidence of its counterpart funding, to persuade the Federal Government through UBEC to release the matching grants for the benefit of pupils in primary and junior secondary schools.

“My Lord, a team of officials from the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB comprising the Chairman, Director, Finance and Account, Project Manager and top management officials went to Abuja to defend the action plans for 2013, 2014 and 2015, stating the deplorable state of Kwara State Primary and Junior Secondary Education across the 16 Local Government Areas of the State”, Ujilibo told the court.

However, the PW 6 disclosed that investigations revealed that the money was moved from the UBEC matching grant accounts into the Kwara state government’s central account domiciled in a commercial bank.

He added that while a portion of the funds was spent on projects such as the reconstruction of Omosebi Bridge, Coca-Cola Road Bridge, Michael Imodu/Afon Junction Road, Lafiaji Township Road and the rehabilitation of the Ilorin water supply network, these projects had no direct link to basic education.

He further told the court that the sum N952,297,297.30 (Nine Hundred and Fifty Two Million, Two Hundred and Ninety Seven Thousand, Two Hundred and Twenty Seven Naira, Thirty Kobo) being the UBEC fund for 2014 was used for principal liquidation of loan.

He added that, a request allegedly signed by the second defendant (Banu) sought approval to obtain a ₦1 billion loan from SUBEB counterpart funds to augment workers’ salaries.

According to the witness, the funds meant for improving infrastructure and learning conditions in primary and junior secondary schools were ultimately deployed for purposes outside their statutory mandate and without direct benefit to pupils.

Meanwhile, in an interview with newsmen in Ilorin yesterday after the adjournment, one of the lawyers to the defendants, Mr. Mumini Jimoh (SAN) said the prosecution had abandoned about 8 head of counts changes out of the 16 charges for which the former governor and his former commissioner were arraigned.

“We will ask them some question during the cross examination”, he said .