THE ECONOMIC and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday played a compact disc containing a voice note allegedly from former Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika in an Abuja High Court.
The voice note was played while the EFCC’s 12th witness, Mr Christopher Odofin, was testifying in the court.
The recording featured Sirika issuing verbal instructions from Spain to the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr Enitan Abel to award a consultancy contract to Tianaero Nigeria Limited.
“Do the right thing. Generate the necessary contract and give his company. We can pay for his services,” Sirika said in the audio.
The EFCC charged Sirika, alongside his daughter, Fatima, son-in-law, Hamma Sule, and Al-Buraq Global Investment Limited with six counts of contract fraud.
The former minister, according to EFCC abused his position by conferring unfair advantage on Al-Buraq Global Investment Limited, whose alter egos are said to be his daughter and son-in-law to award the contract for the apron extension at the Katsina airport for N1.4 billion.
Led in evidence by the EFCC counsel, Rotimi Jacob, SAN, Odofin identified the voice as belonging to Sirika
The witness and EFCC investigator said the company referred to in the voice note is Tinearo, belonged to Gabriel Tilmann, a friend of Sirika .
In the audio, Sitka said:” whatever we can get, he’s quite resourceful and very energetic…So he has what it takes.
“Mr Tilmann gets angry and irritated easily. He is comfortable with the ministry because of me.”
NAN reports that at this point, Mr Michael Numa SAN, counsel for Al Buraq Investment Company, objected to the line of questioning.
The judge intervened and urged Numa to raise his issues while cross-examining the witness.
But Numa said the line of questioning was for the press.
The witness told the court that Sirika attached his cousin, named Yasir, to guide Tilmann in executing the consultancy contract.”
During cross-examination by Sirika’s counsel, Kanu Agabi SAN, the witness referred to a request made to the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) by the permanent secretary for the Ministry of Aviation.
The permanent secretary, he said, requested for a “no objection” in adopting the selective tenders method of procurement for critical capital projects in the ministry.
Agabi asked if anything in the request suggested Sirika induced the permanent secretary.
After perusing the request, the witness replied, “there was nothing in the document that suggests the first defendant induced the permanent secretary.”
Again, Agabi asked the witness to look through BPP’s response to the request and confirm if it implicated Sirika.
The witness noted that he does not understand what he meant by implication. Agabi retorted, “Whatever you understand by it.”
However, the witness insisted on his lack of understanding. Agabi then asked if the response referred to the ex-minister and he said no, but there is a reference to the ministry.
Agabi then asked if Abel’s (permanent secretary) action was wrong according to BPP’s response. The witness said no.
Again, Agabi directed the witness’s attention to a summary of the decision of the 23rd Ministerial Tenders Board (MTB) held in August 2022 and asked the witness if the document contained Sirika’s directives, but the witness insisted that the document was approved by Sirika.
Trial judge, Justice Sylvanus Oriji, then adjourned the matter until Thursday for continuation of trial. (NAN)
