How Taraba LG ‘subventions’ were diverted during Gov Ishaku’s tenure – Witness

A prosecution witness told the FCT High Court in Maitama on Monday how Taraba State’s Local Government (LG) subvention funds were sent into a company’s account during former Governor Darius Ishaku Darius’ administration.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting former Governor Ishaku and Bello Yero, then-Permanent Secretary of the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs of Taraba State, on charges of diverting as much as N27 billion beloging to the state government and some local governments in the state.

Mr Ishaku, who governed Taraba State between May 2015 and May 2023, and his co-accused face 15 counts of criminal breach of trust, conspiracy and conversion of public funds to the tune of N27 billion for personal use.

Taiwo Jones, the third prosecution witness and an assistant cashierwith the state government, said he received approximately N600 million to N700 million from Gassol LG into P3 Cornerstone Nigeria Limited. He also confirmed receiving money from other LGs in the state but did not total the full amount.

Led in evidence by prosecution lawyer Rotimi Jacobs, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Jones said the money was “part of local government subvention.” He did not give further particulars of the subvention, which is usually a gift from a government for a special purpose. But the witness did not disclose which special use the subvention was meant for.

Asked to sum the total he received from Gassol LG, the witness said, “It will be around N600 million to 700 million approximately. I don’t have my calculator.”

In June, Mr Jones began narrating how he received Taraba State local government funds into his company’s account and disbursed the money on instructions of Mr Yero.

He told the court that he ran a company, P3 International, which he used for his farming business before joining the civil service as an assistant cashier in the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs of Taraba State.

He confirmed receiving N1.8 billion through his company’s account on Mr Yero’s instruction for onward disbursements to others.

Gassol LG sent N700 million

During Monday’s proceedings, he detailed how he received approximately N700 million from the state’s local governments between 2019 and 2021.

EFCC’s prosecution lawyer, Mr Jacobs, instructed the witness to examine a letter from United Bank for Africa (UBA) outlining local government fund transfers against the statement of account provided by P3 Cornerstone.

The witness’ narration showed that money transferred from the LGs was received in his company’s account on the same dates. Similarly, some of the funds were sent to an account called ‘Seven per cent Emirates and Traditional Councils’ account.”

Mr Jones said, following Mr Yero’s instructions, he either transferred the money to Prince Onwuzurike or withdrew some and gave it to Mr Yero alongside Dare Lawal.

Messrs Lawal and Onwuzurike earlier testified in the trial as the first and second prosecution witnesses, respectively.

They both told the court about their roles in the disbursement of the funds for which the EFCC is prosecuting the former governor and his co-defendant.

Mr Lawal, the first prosecution witness, worked previously for former Governor Ishaku’s private business before serving as his personal assistant during his governorship, and testified almost throughout last year.

He testified elaborately on how he received millions from various state government officials, including Mr Yero, on behalf of Mr Ishaku.

Testifying as the second prosecution witness in February, Mr Onwuzurike, who alluded to his personal relationship with the second defendant, Mr Yero, told the court that he received money through his account and withdrew it on the directives of Mr Yero.

Mr Jones’ testimony on Monday shed light on how he received the money.

Details of funds sent to P3 Cornerstone’s account

Mr Jones detailed the funds he received into his company’s account from 2019 to 2021.

According to him, on 11 October 2019, Yorro LG sent N50 million into P3 Cornerstone Nigeria Limited’s account. He said he handed over the entire money to Messrs Yero and Lawal.

He said further that the company received N58.5million on 25 October 2019, and subsequently transferred it to Mr Onwuzurike.

Similarly, Gassol LG made two separate lodgements of over N64.9 million and N1.4 million to P3 Cornerstone, the witness said. He added that the “bulk of the money was transferred to Seven per cent Emirates and Traditional Councils account.”

He also confirmed that Ardo Kola LG transferred N55 million to the company’s account on 28 November 2019. He added that Gassol LG transferred N62 million too.

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Zing LG transferred N70 million and N11.3 million from Yorro LG, all into P3 Cornerstone’s account, according to Mr Jones.

The witness said he reported receiving the funds to Babagida Hassan, the then Director of Finance, who sometimes gave him instructions on what to do with the money.

He also said he had never received any query for failing to deliver the funds sent into his company’s account.

Thereafter, Mr Jacobs tendered through the witness, Mr Jones’ EFCC statement and personal statement of accounts domiciled in UBA.

The trial judge, Slyvanus Oriji, adjourned the matter till Tuesday (6 October) for continuation of trial.