The trial of Gabriel Suswam, former governor of Benue state and his finance commissioner, Okolobia Okpanachi, continued on Thursday with the prosecution presenting its fourth witness, Abubakar Umar, who told the court how billions of naira were converted to dollars and given to the governor.
Suswan and his co-accused are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Commission (EFCC) on a nine-count charge bordering on diversion of N3.1 billion before Justice A R Mohammed of the federal high court in Abuja.
While being led in evidence by Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) at the resumed trial, Umar, a bureau de change operator and owner of Fanffash Resources, told the court that sometime in August 2014 while he was in his office at Zone 4 plaza, the then governor requested his account details so that money could be deposited into it.
“The former governor (Suswam) called and asked me to see him in his house, Maitama. When I got there, a fair lady was introduced to me who requested my account details so that money can be deposited into it,” Umar said.
He stated that after the money was deposited in his account, he was asked to change it into dollars and take it to Suswam’s house in Maitama.
According to Umar, a total of six lodgements were made into his account.
Explaining how the lodgments were made, the witness stated that the first lodgment of N413m was made on August 8, 2014. On September 12, 2014 two lodgments of N363m and N637m were made.
Also, a sum of N630m and N8,018,000.08 were lodged in his account on October 13, 2014. He further stated that on October 17, 2014 another sum of N1.68b was lodged in his account.
On a whole, the witness told the court that a total of N3.111bn was paid into his account, all of which were converted into dollars and paid in batches to Suswam at his house.
The case was adjourned to May 9 and 10 for continuation of trial.
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These stories I hear and read everyday give the impression that these accused governors went to their respective state houses to plunder the resources of the states under the guise of serving the people.