The former Accountant General of the Federation (AG-F), Ahmed Idris, revealed that he initially believed he wouldn’t face prosecution for the alleged N109 billion fraud, for which he and three others are currently standing trial.
Idris shared this during one of the 13 extra-judicial statements he provided to EFCC investigators, which have been presented before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). In a statement dated May 25, 2022, he stated, “All along, I have cooperated with the EFCC officials and have volunteered information to demonstrate my commitment to make the investigation easier and speedier.”
He continued, “Any statement I have made before or I am making now are based on my firm assumption, belief and understanding that by being open and aligning myself with statements made by principal suspects, such statements will not be used against me and eventually lead to my trial or prosecution.”
His lawyer, Chris Uche (SAN), objected to the admissibility of the statements, alleging that investigators coerced his client to make admissions. However, one of the investigators, Mahmoud Tukur, refuted Uche’s claim, stating, “We did not promise him (Idris) anything.”
Tukur emphasized, “In all the statements he wrote, he was cautioned and part of the cautionary words is that whatever he wrote might be used as evidence in court.”
Similarly, another EFCC operative, Hayatudeen Suleiman, denied making any promises to Idris regarding prosecution during the investigation.
The EFCC is prosecuting Idris, his former Technical Assistant, Godfrey Olusegun Akindele, a director in the Office of the AG-F, Mohammed Kudu Usman, and Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited, on a 14-count charge related to stealing and criminal breach of trust amounting to N109 billion.