THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday opened its case when its first prosecution witness testified at the resumed trial of the former Managing Director of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Mrs Ngozi Olejeme.
Mrs Olejeme, who was also Chairman of Board of Trustfund Pensions Ltd, is facing a nine-count charge of alleged criminal conspiracy, abuse of office, diversion of public funds and money laundering to the tune of over N1 billion before the Honour Justice Maryam Hassan Aliyu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Jabi, Abuja after she was re-arraigned on October 21, 2021.
At the resume hearing, EFCC’s counsel, Mr Steve Odiase, presented the first prosecution witness, Mr Salihu Dantsoho Sadiq, a Bureau de Change operator, who narrated how he met Henry Sambo, an employee of the NSITF.
Sadiq told the court that sometime in 2014 at First Bank, Abuja, Sambo approached him and requested for foreign exchange.
“He transferred the money into my account the same day the transaction started and the transaction involved hundreds of millions in about eight to ten tranches. He did not know my office, but he normally sent his driver for the transaction,” he stated.
Under cross-examination, the defence counsel, Mr Paul Erokoro, SAN, asked the witness if he knew the defendant, and what the dollars were requested for. He replied: no; adding that Sambo did not tell him the purpose.
Erokoro also asked whether the transaction followed CBN guidelines for forex, warning that if it did not, he would report the transaction to authorities. The witness answered in the affirmative.
Earlier, Mr Odiase told the court that the prosecution had pre-trial with six witnesses who were expected to be in court to testify on Tuesday, but five could not make it because of the fire incident at Kubwa which involved some of their relatives. He therefore requested the court for a short adjournment to enable the prosecution to present the other witnesses.
Justice Aliyu adjourned the matter till November 29, 2021 for continuation of trial.
