An investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Christopher Odofin, has instructed the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) that the fee didn’t interview Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) personnel throughout its investigation into alleged contract fraud involving former Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Abubakar Sirika.
Odofin, the twelfth prosecution witness (PW12), made the disclosure on Wednesday whereas being cross-examined by counsel to Al Buraq Global Investment Limited, Michael Numa, SAN, within the ongoing trial of Sirika and three others over alleged contract fraud involving N2.8 billion.
The witness additionally mentioned he was unaware of a dispute between NAF and FAAN over the location of a contract awarded to Al Buraq for the extension of the apron at Katsina airport.
His testimony got here regardless of his earlier declare that the EFCC had carried out a radical investigation into the alleged fraud.
Sirika is being prosecuted alongside his daughter, Fatima; his son-in-law, Hamman Jalal Sule; and Al Buraq Global Investment Limited, an organization allegedly owned by the couple. The defendants are standing trial earlier than Justice Sylvanus Oriji at Maitama, Abuja, on a six-count cost bordering on abuse of workplace and contract fraud.
The EFCC alleged that Sirika abused his workplace by influencing the award of a contract price N1,498,300,750 for the extension of the airport apron in favour of Al Buraq, amongst different alleged offences.
The prices have been introduced underneath the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, the EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004, and the Penal Code Act relevant to the FCT. The defendants have pleaded not responsible.
During the proceedings, Odofin maintained that the investigation was thorough and that related paperwork had been gathered for the prosecution.
“To the best of my ability, the investigation was thorough. Also, to the best of my ability, all relevant documents were gathered. All materials submitted to me are in the proof of evidence,” he instructed the court docket.
However, when requested whether or not he interviewed officers of the Katsina State Ministry of Lands, the witness answered within the detrimental, insisting that no land had been allotted for the challenge.
He mentioned he could be stunned if the ministry had allotted land for the contract and communicated the data to the EFCC.
Odofin additionally mentioned he didn’t know whether or not the land in query was being utilized by NAF and was unaware of any doc the Air Force may need despatched to the fee regarding the land.
Asked whether or not he knew of a dispute between NAF and FAAN that prevented Al Buraq from mobilising to the location, the witness mentioned he didn’t.
He added that he was unaware that the dispute had been resolved, the contract re-awarded to Al Buraq and the corporate directed to begin work.
“I am not aware of a dispute between Air Force and FAAN over the land. I also do not know that the dispute prevented Al Buraq to move to site. Also, I don’t know if the contract was re-awarded to Al Buraq and it was asked to move to site,” Odofin mentioned.
The witness nonetheless maintained that Sirika influenced the award of the contract.
He instructed the court docket that the then Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Aviation, Abel Enitan; the ministry’s Director of Procurement, Musa Odiniya; and Azubuike Okorie, the primary prosecution witness, have been interviewed throughout the investigation. He, nevertheless, mentioned their statements weren’t video-recorded.
Although proven paperwork throughout cross-examination, Odofin insisted that the contracts for the terminal constructing and apron extension at Katsina airport have been one contract. He confirmed, nevertheless, that the Bureau of Public Procurement authorized the contracts.
He additional instructed the court docket that the Ministry of Aviation had no affiliations with Fatima Hadi Sirika and Hamman Jalal Sule, the second and third defendants, respectively.
He added that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, the place the 2 defendants respectively labored, had no authority over the aviation ministry.
Odofin additionally confirmed that though Al Buraq had different shareholders and administrators apart from Fatima and Sule, none of them was being prosecuted within the case.
Justice Oriji adjourned the case till November 18 for continuation of the witness’s cross-examination.
