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The trial of former Kogi State Governor, Abubakar Audu and former Director-General, Directorate of Rural Development in his administration, Alfa Ibn Mustapha, continued yesterday before Justice A.O Adeniyi of the Federal Capital Territory, High Court, sitting in Apo, Abuja.
The accused persons are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for offences bordering on criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of public funds to the tune of N10,965,837,040.
At the resumed hearing of the case yesterday, the Managing Director of Leoflench Nigeria Limited, who is the first prosecution witness, PW1, Lewechi Terry Ozoemenam, was lead in evidence by counsel to EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN. He told the court that his company executed most of the water projects of the Directorate of Rural Development from 1999-2003.
Ozoemenam said that the contracts executed by his company were about seven and that, each was valued less than N18million.
The projects included the drilling of boreholes in Abjukolo Egwe and Odolo; Ogbonicha, Olla water borehole water; Ajanojo, Omabave Ajakwu and Olubojo Ojuwo Uferene; Oyidi School and Ogbonicha.
According to the witness, the total costs of the said projects were not up to N53million.
When shown exhibit P10- a document containing a voucher, receipt and cheque for construction of borehole in Ogbonicha valued N49.649million, Ozoemenam denied ever executing such project, nor collecting that amount of money. He said the receipt was forged as the signature was not his.
“I have never handled any contract up to N18million, let alone signing a project worth N49million, Ozoemenam told the court.
The prosecution witness also denied knowledge of exhibit P28, a voucher for additional payment for water project; exhibit P30, a project valued N41million; exhibit P36, a project valued N20million; exhibit P16, a project worth N30million; exhibit P143, a forged receipt and exhibit P113 a project N20million.
“All these documents are forged, my lord,” Ozoemenam said.
The case has been adjourned till today for continuation of hearing.
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