A prosecution witness on Monday told the FCT High Court in Abuja how he allegedly received money multiple times from some local governments of Taraba State and other sources on behalf of Bello Yero, who is Governor Darius Ishaku’s co-defendant in a N27 billion fraud trial.
Prince Onwuzunike, who is the second prosecution witness, told the court that he received the money ranging from N20 million to N100 million, through his bank accounts from some local governments, including Ardo Kola, Gasol, and Yorro.
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According to the witness, who described a purely personal relationship with Mr Yero, said he handed the money, which received on numerous occasions between 2019 and 2020, to the then governor Mr Ishaku’s personal assistant, Ismail Lawal, who earlier testified as the first prosecution witness.
Mr Lawal, the first prosecution witness, in his testimony which began in January and ran for months, shared details of how he received millions of naira from various state government officials and other persons on the instruction of Mr Ishaku and distributed the funds also according to the direction of the then- governor.
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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting the ex-governor alongside Mr Yero on 15 counts of criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, and fraudulent conversion of N27 billion belonging to Taraba State.
The anti-graft agency said the two defendants diverted the money from the contingency funds belonging to the state’s Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and certain local governments of the states into their private uses.
Mr Yero was Permanent Secretary, Taraba State Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs during Mr Ishaku’s reign as governor. Mr Ishaku was the governor of the north-eastern state from 2015 to 2023.
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They both pleaded not guilty to the charges, setting off a full-blown trial that took off with the testimony of the first prosecution witness this year.
Second prosecution witness shares money transfer details
The second prosecution witness, who identified himself as a businessman selling phones and accessories, spoke on his ties to Mr Yero.
Led in evidence by EFCC’s prosecution lawyer Rotimi Jacobs, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), the witness said their relationship was like that of a father and son. He noted that he had known Mr Yero prior to his appointment as a permanent secretary in the Taraba State civil service.
Mr Onwuzunike said he started receiving money on behalf of Mr Yero after receiving a call from him asking him to expect a money transfer alert from one Taiwo Jones.
“The transactions started the day the permanent secretary (Mr Yero) called me (to tell me) that someone would send money into my account by the name Taiwo Jones. In a short while, I received an alert of the money, and I called and told him that I had received the money.
“He said he would give the phone number and name of the person I would go and give the money to at Taraba State Government Lodge at Asokoro by the name Mr Lawal Dare,” the witness said.
Apart from Mr Jones, the witness said, others who sent money to his Zenith and Access bank accounts included P3 Cornerstone and some local governments in Taraba State.
“It was regular. Sometimes, I received from Taiwo Jones and P3 Cornerstone, a few from Ardo Kola Local Government (LG), Gasol LG and Yorro LG. I always withdrew and gave it to Mr Lawal,” he said.
He said the transactions, which ranged between N20 and N100 million, were made between 2019 and 2020, adding that he later realised that P3 Cornerstone was owned by Mr Jones.
The witness said he didn’t know where the senders got the money from but maintained that the transactions were regular.
Earlier prosecution witness detailed money received, shared on behalf of ex-governor
Mr Onwuzunike urged the EFCC’s lawyer to go through his account statement earlier tendered in as an exhibit to confirm some transactions.
Thereafter, the judge, Sylvanus Oriji, adjourned the case until 14 January 2026 for continuation of the hearing.
The first prosecution witness, Mr Lawal, during his time in the witness box, similarly shared details of the funds he allegedly received from and distributed to people on behalf of Mr Ishaku.
Mr Lawal, who previously worked for the former governor’s private business and later served as his personal assistant during his governorship, said he received N10 million on behalf of Mr Ishaku on 13 December 2020, in Abuja and N15 million on 12 January 2021.
Mr Lawal also admitted collecting money on behalf of the then-governor from Mr Yero, the second defendant. He disclosed that he collected N50 million from the official on 20 December 2020, N30 million on 12 January 2021, and N20 million on 27 January 2021.
He also admitted taking money from Emmanuel Ifun, a recurring name in his testimony. According to Mr Lawal, Mr Ifun was a Director of Finance, Government House.
Mr Lawal said he received N7 million from Mr Ifun on 11 December 2020.
According to him, he subsequently received from Mr Ifun, N4 million on 30 January 2021, N20 million on 3 February 2021, N6.5 million on 5 February 2021, N20 million on 6 February 2021, and N14 million on 10 February 2021.
READ ALSO: Nigeria Army destroys bandits’ camps in Taraba, arrest suspect
According to the prosecution witness, he also took N10 million and N13 million on 1 January 2022. He also received N30 million through Zenith Bank on 10 February 2021.
During a cross-examination session in November by Mr Ishaku’s lawyer, Eko Ejembi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), the witness testified on the purposes of the transfers recorded in his notebook.
“Some are for security, while some are also for other people,” he said.
When referred to some pages of the notebook, which was earlier admitted as an exhibit, he said there were details of transfers to the State Security Service (SSS), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Permanent Secretary, the Inspector General of Police, NASA, and SA Security Southern Zone.
He confirmed that his bank statement and personal record showing the funds receipts from Taraba State Government officials and distribution to various beneficiaries did not feature former Governor Ishaku’s name. Instead, the witness said, the name of the former governor’s company, Worthy Construction Limited, appeared on the document
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