The trial of the former Head of Service and Chairman of the
Presidential Committee on Financial Action Task Force, PCFATF, Steven
Oronsaye, continued on Wednesday April 13, 2016 before Justice O. O.
Goodluck of the FCT High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja.
Oronsaye is being prosecuted on a 2-count charge of abuse of office
and obtaining by false pretence preferred against him by the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
As the Chairman of the PCFATF, Oronsaye, allegedly converted the
total sum of N190m (one hundred and ninety million naira) belonging to
the Committee to personal use by fixing the said sum in personal account
in one of the new generation banks.
At an earlier sitting on March 15, 2016, the EFCC presented its first
witness (PW1), Ngunan Kakwagh, an operative of the EFCC, who told the
court how Oronsaye, opened an account in Access Bank Plc in the name of
the Presidential Committee on Financial Action Task Force, into which he
received funds from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN and converted a
total sum of N190m (one hundred and ninety million naira) to personal
use by investing the said sum in various fixed deposit accounts.
After the PW1’s testimony, the defence, represented by Joe Agi, SAN,
sought leave of the court to move his pending bail application and allow
for an adjournment to continue cross examination of the witness.
Justice Goodluck granted the defendant bail in the sum of N10m (ten
million naira) with two sureties in like sum, both residents of FCT at
the level of directors in the civil service or government
establishments, either serving or retired.
Thereafter, the matter was adjourned to April 13 and 14, 2016 for continuation of trial.
At the resumed hearing today, Kakwagh under cross-examination,
maintained that Oronsaye invested the funds of the Committee in a fixed
deposit account contrary to the circular issued by the Accountant
General of the Federation, AGF, which only allowed government’s idle
funds to be invested in treasury bills.
The EFCC also presented another witness, PW2, Olubunmi Ojoko, a staff
of Access Bank Plc and Account Officer of the defendant, who gave a
shocking revelation on how Oronsaye opened an account with Access Bank
Plc in the name of Presidential Committee on Financial Action task Force
without a mandate from the AGF.
Ojoko told the court that Oronsaye, in addition to investing the sum
of N190m in fixed deposits, made personal withdrawals at different times
to the tune of N33.9 m (Thirty three million, nine hundred thousand
naira). She further stated that, he (Oronsaye) issued cheques to several
beneficiaries who withdrew from the account.
After listening to the testimony of PW2, the defence counsel, Kanu
Agabi, SAN, asked for adjournment till the next day to allow him time to
study the proof of evidence already admitted as exhibit by court to
enable him cross examine the witness.
Justice Goodluck adjourned to April 14, 2016 for continuation of trial.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
13th April, 2016
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