The trial of former Taraba State governor Darius Dickson Ishaku and ex-Permanent Secretary, Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Bello Yero, resumed on Tuesday before Justice S.C. Oriji of the FCT High Court, Abuja, with the EFCC presenting its third prosecution witness.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is prosecuting both men on 15 counts of criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, and conversion of public funds amounting to N27 billion.
Taiwo Johns, PW3, began his testimony after the cross-examination of the second prosecution witness, Prince Emmanuel Onwuzulike, by counsel to the second defendant, Samuel Fagade.
Under cross-examination, PW2 told the court he had a “father and son relationship” with Yero and said Yero instructed him to disburse funds to one Lawal Damilare.
PW2 also said he received money from Johns, a cashier assistant at the Bureau, and used part of it for personal business. “The sum of N3 million deposited is for my business; the sum of N2 million, deposited is for my business; the sum of N10 million, dated November 4, is for my business,” he said. He added: “Everything I did was on instruction.”
Led in evidence by prosecution counsel O.A. Atolagbe, PW3 said his duties included raising vouchers and payment schedules, preparing staff payroll, writing payroll cheques, and accompanying the cashier to banks for cash withdrawals.
Other duties, he said, involved “payment of emirs and ‘ardos’, disbursement of cash if there is a courtesy call, and any other duty assigned to me” by Chief Cashier John Columba, Director of Finance Babangida Hassan, and Permanent Secretary Bello Yero.
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PW3 told the court the Bureau handles affairs of Taraba’s 16 local governments, including paying salaries and allowances to emirs and chiefs, buying vehicles for them, covering medical needs, paying teachers, assisting flood victims, and supporting security in local chiefdoms.
He confirmed he participated in disbursing cash, sometimes handing it to the ALGON Chairman or local government chairmen “depending on where the case arises.” He identified the ALGON Chairman as Agya.
The funds, he said, were disbursed from the “2.5 Percent Contingency Account” domiciled in United Bank of Africa, UBA. Signatories to the account are Permanent Secretary Bello Yero and Director of Finance Babangida Hassan.
Justice Oriji adjourned the matter to April 30 for continuation of PW3’s examination.
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