21st September, 2020
By Nimot Adetola Sulaimon
Tahir Umar Tahir, the prosecution witness testified on Monday against the former Minister of Special Duties and Inter-governmental Affairs, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki SAN over N714.6 million fraud.
This is contained in a press statement released by Wilson Uwujaren, Head, Media and Publicity (EFCC).
Turaki is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on a 16-count of fraud and misappropriation to the tune of N714,670,014.87 ( Seven Hundred and Fourteen Million, Six Hundred and Seventy Thousand and Fourteen Naira, Eighty- seven Kobo).
During the cross-examination at the trial before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Tahir told the court that of the of N359million approved by former President Goodluck Jonathan for the nationwide sensitisation and enlightenment of Muslim Youths Against hate speech and religious intonations, only N200million was released to him by Turaki.
“I am not aware of this amount (N359 million), being released for this project. I only know what was given to me”, Tahir stated.
Gadzama, the defence counsel in his cross-examination, sought the witness to clarify the extent to which he carried out the sensitisation programme, billed to cover the entire country, to which he stated that he started out in Akwa Ibom, South-South, did in the South-East, Abuja and Kaduna, stating that he had handed over the records and videos of the sensitisation activities in these locations to the EFCC.
When asked what he did to ensure that he got the balance from the approved N359 million, since he only received N200 million, he informed the court that he approached Turaki for the balance to which he said the minister told him the funds would come in tranches but that he never got the balance till they left office.
The trial was adjourned till September 22, 2020, for further cross-examination of the witness.