A prosecution witness has told the FCT High Court in Maitama how funds belonging to Taraba State’s local governments were allegedly transferred into a private company’s account during the administration of former Governor Darius Ishaku.
The witness, Taiwo Jones, an assistant cashier with the Taraba State Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, said about N600 million to N700 million was transferred from Gassol Local Government into the account of P3 Cornerstone Nigeria Limited between 2019 and 2021.
Jones gave the testimony on Monday while appearing as the third prosecution witness in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) trial of Ishaku and Bello Yero, a former Permanent Secretary in the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
The EFCC is prosecuting the former governor and Yero on 15 counts bordering on criminal breach of trust, conspiracy and conversion of public funds allegedly amounting to N27 billion.
Ishaku served as Taraba State governor from May 2015 to May 2023.
Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, Jones said the money paid into his company’s account was part of local government “subvention”.
Asked to give the total amount received from Gassol Local Government, the witness said: “It will be around N600 million to N700 million approximately. I don’t have my calculator.”
Jones explained that he operated P3 International, a company he initially used for his farming business before joining the state civil service.
He said the company’s account was subsequently used to receive and disburse funds on the instructions of Yero.
According to the witness, approximately N1.8 billion passed through his company’s account on Yero’s instructions for onward disbursement to other individuals and accounts.
During Monday’s proceedings, the prosecution presented a United Bank for Africa (UBA) letter detailing transfers from various local governments to P3 Cornerstone’s account.
Jones confirmed that funds transferred from the local governments were received into the company’s account on the corresponding dates.
He also testified that portions of the money were transferred to an account identified as the “Seven per cent Emirates and Traditional Councils” account.
The witness said he sometimes transferred funds to Prince Onwuzurike or withdrew money and handed it to Yero and Dare Lawal, allegedly acting on Yero’s instructions.
Lawal and Onwuzurike had earlier testified as the first and second prosecution witnesses respectively.
Jones further gave the court details of some of the transactions involving P3 Cornerstone.
He said Yorro Local Government transferred N50 million to the company’s account on October 11, 2019, adding that the entire amount was subsequently handed over to Yero and Lawal.
He said another N58.5 million was transferred into the account on October 25, 2019, and was later paid to Onwuzurike.
The witness also testified that Gassol Local Government made separate transfers of about N64.9 million and N1.4 million into the account, with the bulk of the funds subsequently transferred to the Seven per cent Emirates and Traditional Councils account.
He added that Ardo Kola Local Government transferred N55 million to the company on November 28, 2019, while Gassol Local Government also transferred N62 million.
Jones said Zing Local Government transferred N70 million, while Yorro Local Government transferred N11.3 million into the account.
He told the court that he reported the receipt of the funds to Babagida Hassan, the then Director of Finance, who sometimes instructed him on how the money should be disbursed.
The witness also said he had never been queried for failing to account for or deliver the funds transferred into his company’s account.
Thereafter, Jacobs tendered Jones’ statement to the EFCC and his personal UBA account statements through him as exhibits.
Justice Slyvanus Oriji adjourned the case until Tuesday, October 6, for continuation of the trial.
Clarify Jones’s company names.
