We are still probing Jonathan’s presidential campaign donations – EFCC
NEWS DIGEST – An investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Shehu Shuaibu, said on Tuesday that alleged donations towards the 2015 presidential campaign of former President Goodluck Jonathan were still being probed.
Shuaibu pointed out to Justice Rilwan Aikawa 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 firm is the fourth defendant in the N4.9bn fraud charges filed by the EFCC against a former Minister of State for Finance, Nenadi Usman, a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, and Yusuf Danjuma.
Fani-Kayode was the Director of Publicity of Jonathan’s presidential campaign organisation for the 2015 elections.
He, alongside others, is being tried on 17 counts, bordering on conspiracy, unlawful retention of proceeds of theft and money laundering.
Shuaibu is the third prosecution witness to testify in the case before the Federal High Court in Lagos.
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While being cross-examined on Tuesday by Usman’s lawyer, Chief Ferdinand Orbih (SAN), Shuaibu, going through the statement of account of Joint Trust Dimensions Limited, pointed out some inflows into the firm’s account.
He identified “N500m from Global Scan System Ltd on February 11, 2015; N300m from Diamond Bank on January 30, 2015; N250m from Castillo Torres BDC Ltd on February 11, 2015; N100m from Afrigate Energy Ltd, and N500m 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 Wednesday for further proceedings.
