In an ongoing trial of former Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam, at the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, a key witness has testified to converting and delivering $15.8 million in cash to the ex-governor at his residence.
According to Dele Oyewale, Head of Media and Publicity for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the witness, Abubakar Umar, detailed how in 2014 he received N3.1 billion from Suswam, which he converted into dollars and delivered in cash.
Suswam, along with his former Commissioner of Finance, Omodachi Okolobia, is facing 11 counts of money laundering in connection with the alleged misappropriation of N3.1 billion.
The money was reportedly derived from the sale of Benue State’s shares through the Benue Investment and Property Company Limited and facilitated by Elixir Securities Limited and Elixir Investment Partners Limited.
Testifying on Thursday, Umar, the sixth prosecution witness, revealed how the sum of N3.1 billion was transferred to him by Suswam’s proxy, a woman, in several tranches between August and October 2014. He told the court how he converted the funds into dollars, at an exchange rate of N197 per dollar, and delivered the equivalent amount of $15.8 million in cash to Suswam at his Maitama residence.
“One day in 2014, when I was in the office, the former governor of Benue State asked me to meet him in his house in Maitama, Abuja. I went and met him together with one fair woman. He asked me to give the woman my account number, which I did. On the 8th of August, N413 million was transferred to my account,” Umar told the court.
He continued, “I called the former governor, and he told me to change the money to dollars. Three days later, I had the equivalent amount ready and delivered it to him at his Maitama residence, close to the Jumat Mosque. We confirmed the money together.”
Umar testified that the transfers continued in similar fashion, with the largest single tranche being N1.068 billion, transferred on October 17, 2014. In total, N3.1 billion was sent to him, which he converted to $15.8 million in cash and delivered in installments to Suswam’s residence.
The witness, while being led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, acknowledged that he had no written records or receipts for the transactions, relying only on his discretion and trust from both parties involved.
Justice Lifu adjourned the trial until October 4, 2024, for further hearings.
This testimony forms part of an ongoing investigation into allegations of corruption and financial mismanagement during Suswam’s tenure as governor of Benue State. Both Suswam and his co-defendant have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Dele Oyewale, Head of Media and Publicity for the EFCC, issued a statement confirming the adjournment of the trial.
