In the alleged N3 billion money laundering criminal charges, the trial of former Chairman of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund NSITF, Ngozi Olejeme, continued yesterday before Justice Maryam Hassan of the FCT High Court Jabi, with the testimony of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s first prosecution witness, Malam Salihu Dantsoho Sadiq.
In his testimony at yesterday’s hearing, the PW-1 denied knowing or ever transacting direct business with the accused person.
The witness, who claimed to be a Bureau De Change operator, agreed to transact business with the Social Insurance Trust Fund NSITF for the acquisition of foreign exchange through one Henry Sambo.
The witness, who was led in evidence by EFCC counsel Steve Odiase, told the court that the transactions included millions of naira and that they took place between 2014 and 2015.
He stated that he was contacted by the EFCC in 2015 on the transactions and provided relevant information.
Under cross-examination by Mr. Paul Erokoro SAN, who represented the defendant, the witness said that all of the transactions he carried out followed the law and rules of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.
“I found nothing odd in all the transactions,” the witness stated, “and I would have reported anything suspicious to the EFCC if I had noticed anything strange.”
Meanwhile, the EFCC stated that it has over 78 witnesses lined up to testify against the ex-NSITF commander, but that it sought to reduce the number of witnesses scheduled to testify against Olejeme.
The EFCC, through its counsel, Mr. Steve Odiase, informed the court that the anti-graft agency had examined the evidence against Olejeme and determined that 78 witnesses were excessive and that the number should be reduced.
Only crucial and critical witnesses would be required, according to Odiase, and the panel would gather a sufficient number of witnesses to testify against the accused.
He said: “My Lord, we had earlier informed this Honourable court of intention to call 78 witnesses to give evidence in this trial. But we have decided to scale down the witnesses because it is not how many that matters but how well.
“We will soon come up with an appreciable number of witnesses because we can’t go ahead with 78 witnesses and I urge my Lord to allow us to put our house in order before the adjourned date.”
After the witnesses were discharged from the witness box, Justice Maryam Hassan Aliyu fixed November 29, 2021, for the further trial of the defendant.”
It will be recalled that Olejeme, who was an aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, was arraigned before the court on October 21 on a nine-count charge bordering on abuse of office, receiving bribes, and awarding contracts without due process, among others.
Shortly after the arraignment, Justice Aliyu adopted the conditions attached to the administrative bail earlier granted Olejeme by the prosecuting agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in 2017 to admit her to bail.
The conditions include that the defendant produces two Deputy Directors in government employment to stand as her sureties.
In one of the counts, Olejeme was alleged to have “dishonestly received the sum of N22,200,000.00” from a contractor with NSITF, paid into her account.
She was also accused of receiving $48,485,127.00, which was dollars equivalent to some funds received from contractors as “kickback.”
Some counts in the charge read: “That you Dr (Mrs) Ngozi Olejenie being the former Board Chairman of NigeriaSocial Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF, sometimes between 2012 and 2015 in Abuja, while being entrusted with dominion over money belonging to the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF, received benefit to doing a favor in the discharging of your official duties to, NSITF, by receiving the sum of N505,000,000.00 (five hundred and five million naira) from Sir Adebayo Adebowale Aderibigbe which was sourced from the monies paid by, NSITF, to Fountain Media Consults Ltd and Fountain Legal Services accounts as kickbacks and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(i) (b) (i) and punishable under Section 8(b) (ii) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
“That you Dr (Mrs) Ngozi Olejeme being the former Board Chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF, sometimes between 2012 and 2015 in Abuja, while being entrusted with dominion over money belonging to the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF, received benefit to do a favor in the discharging of your official duties to, NSITF, received the sum of N346,100,000.00 (three hundred and forty-three million, one hundred thousand naira) from one Mr. Max Ozoaka of Excellex Solicitors as kickbacks and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(i) (b) (i) and punishable under Section 8(b) (ii) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
“That you Dr (Mrs) Ngozi Olejeme being the former Board Chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF, sometimes between 2012 and 2015 in Abuja, while being entrusted with dominion over money belonging to the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF, received benefit to do a favor in the discharging of your official duties to, NSITF, received the sum of N87,720,000.00 (eighty-seven million, seven hundred and twenty thousand naira) through Mr. Aliyu Zubairu of, NSITF, paid by one Mr. Anselem Okolo of Journalism.com as kickbacks and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(i) (b) (i) and punishable under Section 8(b) (ii) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”
