How Ex-HoSF Oyo-Ita, Others Looted Public Funds, Witness Tells Court

The Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, was on Thursday told by Hamma Bello, the eight prosecution witness about how a former Head of Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita and her subordinates diverted public funds into their private companies.

Oyo-Ita is the first defendant in the suit before Justice James Omotosho where she is criminal prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission alongside her special assistants, Ugbong Effiok (seventh defendant), and Garba Umar (fourth defendant).

Charged alongside other the former HOSF are six companies: Frontline Ace Global Services Limited, Asanaya Projects Limited, Slopes International Limited, U and U Global Services Ltd, Prince Mega Logistics Ltd, and Good Deal Investments.

They are facing an 18-count charge bordering on misappropriation, official corruption, money laundering, and criminal diversion of funds to the tune of over N3 billion.

While being cross-examined by prosecution counsel, Faruk Abdullahi, and H.M. Mohammed, the witness narrated to the court that Oyo-Ita used Slopes International Limited and Good Deal Investments Limited-fifth and sixth defendants respectively, to fraudulently award government contracts to herself through the fourth defendant, Umar.

“And upon interviewing the fourth defendant, he admitted that he was also a contractor. He also admitted to have paid the first defendant on several occasions from the proceeds of the transaction,” the witness said.

The witness had on April 27, 2019 revealed that a transfer of N20, 2027, 142 was made in the name of Ibrahim Madu to the Zenith Bank account of Asanaya Projects Limited.

The mandate card of the account bears the signature and photo of the seventh defendant, Effiok.

Bello further disclosed that investigation revealed that the seventh defendant incorporated Asanaya Projects Limited in his name with the knowledge of the Oyo-Ita and that approvals were granted and payments made to the seventh defendant either through his personal account or to the account of the company.

“The seventh defendant, upon interview, confirmed he had never travelled for most of the funds he received and that the first defendant was aware of and benefitted on several occasions from the funds. The account of U and U Global Services Limited was also opened by the seventh defendant.

“In summary, from 2015 to 2018, U and U Global Limited received several payments in the form of Duty Tour Allowances and estacodes. Sometimes, payments from the federal government were made directly to the account, for instance, on March 24, 2016, he received N40, 313, 453. 58. This particular payment was from the federal government,” the witness said.

The prosecution witness further testified that, “Exhibit O is the Fidelity Bank account of Prince Mega Logistics Ltd. On March 27, 2018, and April 6, 2018, there were four entries, N4, 950 000; N3,946,000, N4,676,000 and N1,478,000, from Thomson Titus Okure, who used to be a colleague of the seventh defendant in the Account Department.

“There were also outward payments to Ignom, Minaro Blessing, Winifred Oyo-Ita, Olarenwaju Godman Olushola and the seventh defendant is the sole signatory of this account,” the witness stated.

Speaking further, he said, “I also want to add that we invited the first, second and seventh defendant at different times to our office and interviewed them. In the case of the first defendant, we printed chats from her phone and saw conversations she had with contractors, subordinates, and permanent secretaries. She also voluntarily made a statement to the EFCC.”

The case has been adjourned till April 30, 2024 for further hearing.