An investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Shehu Shuaibu, yesterday revealed that the commission was still investigating donations towards the 2015 presidential campaign of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Shuaibu told the court presided over by Justice Rilwan Aikawa that some monetary inflows into the bank account of a firm, Joint Trust Dimensions Limited, which is being tried for money laundering in connection with Jonathan’s campaign funds.
The investigator is the third prosecution witness to testify in the case.
The firm which is the fourth defendant in the N4.9billion fraud charges filed by the EFCC against a former Minister of State for Finance, Mrs. Nenadi Usman, a former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, and Mr. Yusuf Danjuma.
Fani-Kayode was the Director of Publicity of Jonathan’s presidential campaign organisation for the 2015 elections.
They are being tried on 17 counts bordering on conspiracy, unlawful retention of proceeds of theft and money laundering.
While being cross-examined yesterday by Usman’s lawyer, Chief Ferdinand Orbih (SAN), Shuaibu while going through the statement of account of Joint Trust Dimensions Limited, pointed out some inflows into the firm’s account.
He identified “N500million from Global Scan System Ltd on February 11, 2015; N300million from Diamond Bank on January 30, 2015; N250million from Castillo Torres BDC Ltd on February 11, 2015; N100million from Afrigate Energy Ltd, and N500million from Chief Emeka Ofor on March 13, 2015.”
However, he said, “I am not sure if they were truly donations, as some of these alleged donated monies are still under investigation.”
Orbih then asked the investigator, “Since 2015, how many of those who made inflows into this account have you charged to court?”
In reply, Shuaibu said, “It is not my duty to charge anyone, I am just an investigator.”
But when Orbih asked him, “Did you say you found that government money was stolen and paid into the account of Joint Trust Dimensions Limited?” Shuaibu said, “Yes.”
“Who then stole this government money?” Orbih asked.
In reply, Shuaibu said, “They (the defendants) conspired to transfer the monies from government account into Joint Trust’s account, without executing any contract.”
“When a car is involved in an accident, do you leave the driver of the car and charge the conductor?” Orbih further asked the investigator, to which he replied, “My Lord, I am not a lawyer.”
Justice Aikawa adjourned till today for further proceedings.
