The
trial of Gabriel Suswan, a former governor of Benue State and his
Commissioner of Finance, Okolobia Okpanachi, continued on Monday,
February 15, 2016, with a prosecution witness, Brijid Shiedie, managing
director and chief executive officer, Benue Investment and Property
Company Limited, telling Justice A. R. Mohammed of the Federal High
Court Abuja, how the sum of N1bn was allegedly paid to Elixir Security
Limited, after a meeting with Okpanachi.
Suswan and Okolobia are facing a nine-count charge bordering on diversion of N3.1 billion during his tenure as governor.
At
the resumed hearing today, Shiedu, who was led in evidence by
prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, further told the court that
Elixir was invited by the state government to carry out a check of
where the state’s shares were domiciled and consolidate them in one
stock- broking firm.
She
added that the state government consequently needed BIPCL, as the
custodian of the shares, to sign, in order to enable Elixir achieve the
mandate of consolidating the shares.
She
also told the court that both Suswan and Okpanachi directed BIPCL to
pay Elixir the proceeds of Benue State shares, into two accounts,
provided by the ministry of finance letter head.
However, she said that no specific amount was indicated in the correspondence.
‘‘When
Elixir called me to find out what was to be paid into each of the
accounts, I said that since the money was going to the Benue State
government, a request should be forwarded to the Commissioner of
Finance. It was communicated on the Company's letter head,’’ Shiedie
explained.
The
court had earlier admitted in evidence, the certified copy of
Certificate of Incorporation of BIPCL from the Corporate Affairs
Commission.
The defence counsel, Joseph Daudu,
SAN, asked for an adjournment to enable him cross-examine the witness,
saying she is crucial to the case.
Consequently, the case was adjourned to February 16, 2016.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
15th February, 2016
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