Alleged N27bn fraud: I withdrew, disbursed money on instructions of ex-gov Ishaku’s co-defendant — EFCC witness

The second prosecution witness (PW2) in the ongoing trial of former Taraba State governor, Darius Dickson Ishaku, and one other, on Wednesday told the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) that he withdrew money paid into his accounts and disbursed it based on instructions given to him by the former governor’s co-defendant.

Ishaku and a former Permanent Secretary, Bureau of Local Government Affairs in Taraba State, Bello Yero, are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on behalf of the Federal Government before Justice Sylvanus Oriji, sitting in Maitama, Abuja.

They are facing a 15-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, conspiracy and conversion of public funds to the tune of N27 billion in the charge marked FCT/HC/CR/792/2024.

They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them.

At the resumed hearing in the case yesterday, the PW2, Prince Emmanuel Onwuzunike, while being cross-examined by counsel for Ishaku, Eko Ejembi Eko, SAN, told the court that what he did with the money paid into his accounts by individuals, including Taiwo Jones and a company, P3 Cornerstone International, depended on instructions given to him by Yero, whom he described as “my oga.”

“It depends on the instructions from my oga. It was on instruction on what to do at a point in time. If he instructed me to withdraw or transfer, I did as instructed,” Onwuzunike told the court.

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He confirmed that he received various amounts of money in his Access Bank and Zenith Bank accounts, running into millions between 2017 and 2020.

He further told the court that he transferred money back to Taiwo Jones and P3 Cornerstone International, which he had at a previous sitting said he learnt belonged to Jones.

According to him, “I did several transactions transferring money back to P3 Cornerstone International and Taiwo Jones.”

He informed the court that he took a loan from one Ms Nkoli Perpetual, though he could not remember the exact amount he borrowed from her, adding that he made several transactions with her.

He added that he also could not remember if he took loans from other persons.

When asked by Eko what he did with the remaining money in his account after making the transfers, the witness denied that any money remained, saying he disbursed the funds as instructed by Yero.

He further told the court that he did not take any personal loans, adding that the loans he repaid were taken by the second defendant.

After Eko concluded his cross-examination, counsel for Yero, Adeola Adedipe, SAN, sought an adjournment to enable him cross-examine the PW2.

With no objection from the other parties, Justice Oriji adjourned the matter to April 28 for cross-examination of the witness by the second defendant’s counsel.

Onwuzunike had, in his evidence-in-chief, told the court that his relationship with Yero was that of father and son.

He also told the court that he withdrew various amounts of money paid into his accounts by Taiwo Jones, P3 Cornerstone International, John Columbus, and five Taraba State local governments, and handed the funds to a former personal assistant to former governor Ishaku.