Trial of the immediate past Governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, resumed on Wednesday, with the Federal High Court in Abuja, admitting several bank statements in evidence against him.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, tendered the bank documents on a day it produced four more witnesses that testified before the court.
Among the witnesses included a Bureau De Change Operator, Alhaji Ayuba Tanko Abdullahi, who narrated how funds were diverted from the Anambra state treasury, into his company’s account.
The BDC operator, who testified as the 5th prosecution witness, told the court that the funds which were received in Naira, were usually converted into dollars and handed to Obiano’s aide.
According to the witness, within eight months, he received a total of N416million from an account that was operated by the Anambra state government.
He told the court that the funds which got to him in tranches, were converted into foreign currency that amounted to the sum of $1.137m, and handed over to alleged agents of the former governor.
Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Mr. Sylvanus Tahir, SAN, the witness, said it was not until 2023 that the EFCC questioned him over the transactions.
He said: “I am a trader. I trade in forex exchange. I trade in USDs, Euros and Pound Sterling.
“I also source for customers and take them to other BDCs and do exchange and collect my commission.”
The witness told the court that he used two companies; Sauki Bureau De Change and Zigaziga Trading Company Ltd, for the transactions.
“Between April 2017 to December 2017, the total money I received at that period was N416m and I gave back the dollar equivalent which was $1, 137, 000.00,” the PW-5 added.
However, answering questions under cross examination, the BDC operator and admitted that he never had any direct dealings with the former governor.
Trial Justice Inyang Ekwo admitted a bundle of documents that contained bank statements of the BDC companies in evidence and marked them as exhibits.
Meanwhile, shortly after Alhaji Abdullahi was discharged, three bankers took handled accounts that belonged Anambra state government, took turns to mount there witness box.
The PW-6, Mr. Jeremiah Nnamdim, also tendered bank statements relating to a firm-Connought International Services Limited- which was also allegedly used to siphon funds from the Anambra State Government Security Vote Account.
The witness told the court that there was an inflow of over N473m into the account on February 16 2018, as well as a payment of N30m in five places and another N23m.
He further told the court that as single payment of N50m was made into the account on March 9, 2018, followed by a deposit of N10m in 11 places, totalling N110m.
The witness said he was not aware if the EFCC has charged the company to court over the transactions he said were made in the regular banking business.
The PW-8, Ms. Iwu Onyinyechi, who is equally a banker, narrated how funds labelled as “MC payment,” were transferred into the account of another firm she identified as S. Y. Panda Enterprises.
She disclosed that whereas N58m was paid into the account on October 30, 2018, another N36m was also paid in on November 13, 2018.