February 12, 2018

A prosecution witness, Mr Ishaya Dauda on Monday admitted in an FCT High Court in Gudu, that the alleged property in Asokoro did not bear Bala Mohammed’s name.

Dauda, a Senior Detective Superintendent with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), said this during cross examination by the defence counsel, Chief Chris Uche (SAN).

Mohammed is being prosecuted by the Commission on a six-count charge bordering on alleged false declaration of asset and graft.

The witness had also failed to bring to court, the written petition which he said, led to the arraignment and prosecution of the former minister.

In the last adjourned date of Dec.4, 2017, the same witness had given evidence that Bala Mohammed was given the property as gratification by Aso Savings and Loans Ltd.

The EFCC had alleged that the former minister, upon the request of Aso Savings, had relocated Abuja Urban Mass Transit from their plot at Mpape area along Kubwa express.

Dauda had also testified that Aso Savings and Loans Ltd had stood as guarantor to Abuja Urban Mass Transit when they obtained a loan of N1.8 billion from the former Oceanic bank for the acquisition of new buses.

A letter of appreciation from the Managing Director of Aso Savings and Loans, Mr Hassan Usman was produced in court as one of the items recovered by the Commission during investigations.

The letter was dated Feb.24, 2011.

Dauda had also admitted that the Managing Director of Aso Savings had made several statements to the EFCC and was able to identify one of them when shown by the defence.

A sentence from the statement was read in court: “I, however state in good conscience under oath that the minister never requested Aso for a house. He has never asked for anything.’’

The defence established that one of the charges against the former minister was that he did not include a property at 54 Mike Akhigbe street, Jabi, while filling his asset declaration form.

The EFCC witness, however, admitted that during the course of investigations, he saw the title documents of the house and it did not contain the name of the defendant.

He also admitted that the alleged undeveloped plot of land at 17c Ibrahim Anguwar Sarki Street, Kaduna was given to the former FCT minister by Kaduna state government.

Dauda admitted that another property which the Commission said allegedly belonged to the defendant in Kaduna, carried the name of Pastor Allen Agbor in its title document.

Chief Chris Uche told the court that Bala Mohammed had already told the Commission in his statement that the property did not belong to him.

On the charge that the defendant used his office as minister to allocate 15 houses to his associates, the defence told the court that there was a committee set up by the government.

He said this Committee was a special task force with a Chairman by name Aliyu Jungudu, which the witness admitted was saddled with the responsibility of the sale of government houses.

He also admitted that he did not see any payment of money by any of these allottees into the defendant’s account.

Justice Abubakar Talba adjourned continuation of trial until April 16.