An investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Shehu Shuaibu, said on Tuesday the donations towards the 2015 presidential campaign of former President Goodluck Jonathan were still being probed.
Shuaibu drew Justice Rilwan Aikawa’s attention to 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 Finance, Nenadi Usman; a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode; and Yusuf Danjuma.
Fani-Kayode was the director of publicity of the Jonathan’s presidential campaign organisation for the 2015 elections.
He is, with others, 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.
While being cross-examined on Tuesday by Usman’s lawyer, Chief Ferdinand Orbih (SAN), Shuaibu, going through the statement of account of the Joint Trust Dimensions Limited, pointed out some inflows into the firm’s account.
He listed “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.”
He however said, “I am not sure if they were truly donations as some of these alleged donated money are still under investigation.”
Orbih asked the investigator, “Since 2015, how many of those who made inflows into this account have you charged?”
Shuaibu in response said it was not his duty to charge anyone.
Asked by Orbih if he found out that government money was stolen and paid into the account of the Joint Trust Dimensions Limited, Shuaibu answered in the affirmative and claimed the defendants conspired to transfer the money from the 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 asked the investigator, to which he replied, “My Lord, I am not a lawyer.”
Justice Aikawa adjourned till Wednesday for further proceedings.