An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) operative, Abubakar Madaki, on Wednesday told the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court that Sagir, a son of former Sokoto State governor, Attahiru Bafarawa, wrote his statements voluntarily.
Sagir is the fourth defendant in the trial of a former Minister of State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda, for alleged diversion of N23.3 billion.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Yuguda on an amended 25-count –charge of misappropriation, criminal breach of trust, and receiving stolen property alongside a former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd), Bafarawa and his son.
A company owned by the former governor and his son, Dalhatu Investment Limited was also listed as a defendant in the case.
Madaki spoke while testifying as the first prosecution witness (PW2) in the trial-within-trial requested by Sagir.
Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), the witness told the court that an investigation was opened based on a petition received from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) on the distribution of money to 78 companies without evidence of carrying out a contract or work.
He said: “Dalhatu Investment Limited was discovered as one of the 78 companies alleged to have received money from ONSA without any documents to show that they bided for contracts.
“Sagir, the 4th defendant, manages the company. Some money was lodged into his company account and he disbursed the same to others.”
He said that an analysis of the statement of account of Dalhatu Investment Limited from UBA where the money was paid revealed that the company got N4.6 billion.
The witness added: “Sagir later gave a breakdown of how he expended the N4.6 billion with a list of beneficiaries when he was invited to EFCC.
“The defendant was at the EFCC office on November 24, 2015, where he was shown all the available documents relating to the transactions.
“He went through them and then wrote and signed the statement himself.
“After the 1st statement, he requested for his lawyers, and the 2nd statement was later written that day.
“He wrote the statement in the presence of an operative, Hamza Abdullah.
“It cannot be true that the statements were made under duress, the statements were very voluntary.
“On November 17, 2016, he gave two statements before he left the EFCC headquarters. He told us that he has all the details on how he distributed the funds.”
After listening to the witness testimony, Justice Yusuf Halilu adjourned the case till April 23 and April 24 for a definite continuation of hearing of the trial-within-trial.