The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has opened its case of alleged N2.6 billion fraud against former aviation minister Hadi Sirika and three others before a Federal Capital Territory (FCT), High Court, Maitama.
The anti-graft agency dragged Sirika alongside his daughter, Fatima; Jalal Sule Hamma and Al-Duraq Investment Limited, before the court for abuse of office and contract fraud.
They are standing trial before Justice Sylvanus Oriji on six counts.
At the hearing, Azubuike Okorie, a subpoenaed witness of the EFCC testified as the first witness, (PW1).
He said he was a retired staff of the Federal Ministry of Aviation, director, Procurement and Special Assistant to the Honorable Minister, Projects (2022-2023) and chairman of Project Implementation Committee.
When led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, the witness said as special assistant, he was responsible for monitoring and evaluating projects.
“The Project Implementation Committee ensures the execution of projects,“ he said.
When asked about what he knew about the contract to Al-Duraq Global Investment by the Federal Ministry he said, „I was not involved in contracts and my committee is also not involved in awarding contracts.“
When asked to tell the court how he got the exhibit tagged „List, 2021 Projects,“ he said, „These documents were the ones the then Minister asked me to send to the Permanent Secretary and I did that by making photocopies.
“Let me answer it this way: these documents were given to me. I was not there when he wrote on them, but I will assume it is the minister (Sirika) who wrote in red pen because only ministers write in red pen.”
He said he saw N800 million against Al-Duraq Global Investment Limited and Apron Expansion and was aware the contract was given to the above company.
He added that before a contract is awarded, the user‘s agency, in this case, the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), would have secured the land.
“Well, the team of the Project Implementation Committee came in contact with Al-Duraq in Katsina when we went for project monitoring and implementation at Katsina Airport.
When we got there, because we had a list of other contractors who were supposed to be on the ground, including Al-Duraq, we did not find any of them on site then.“
The witness further said that, to the best of his knowledge, the contract was not executed when he left civil service on May 23, 2023.
When asked if he knew that 100 percent payment was made to the fourth defendant before he left office?
He told the court that he is only aware of the 30 per cent mobilisation fee paid to them.
He added that as chairman of the Project Implementation Committee, he was not involved in payments.
As a former director, what I know is that payments were made in stages,“ he said.
Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), counsel for Sirika (1st defendant), told the court that the defendant had just been served with the papers and needed time to go through them.
The trial. Judge Justice Oriji adjourned to June 11, 2024, for cross-examination and continuation of the trial.
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