N714m Scam: Witness Narrates How N159m was Traced to Turaki’s Account

The trial of former Minister of Special Duties and Inter-governmental Affairs, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki continued today Thursday, February 18, 2021 before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja with the twelfth prosecution witness, PW12, Bello Hamma Adama narrating to the court how N159,104,000 (One Hundred and Fifty-nine Million, One Hundred and Four Thousand Naira) out of the N329,104,000 (Three Hundred and Twenty-nine Million, One Hundred and Four Thousand Naira) that was meant for the sensitization of Muslim youths was diverted.

Bello, an operative attached to the Chairman’s Monitoring Unit of the EFCC, while being led in evidence by M. S. Abubakar, drew the court attention to the statement of the second defendant (exhibit C1-C2 on page 8) in which he admitted transferring the said sum on the instructions of the first defendant.

“My boss’ name is Kabiru T. Turaki, and he gave me the instruction to transfer the money into Abdulrahman Yusuf and K.T Turaki and Co. firm. The instruction was verbal, I don’t know what Abdulrahmad did with the money, I also don’t know what my boss had done with the money. I was only instructed by my boss to liaise with Engineer Kabiru to make sure the job was executed. I transferred some money into Engineer Kabir’s account, an account I can’t remember, for the execution of the contract,” the second defendant had stated.

The witness, noted that it was instructive that “the money was received from the Ministry of labour, and the first defendant was then the supervising minister of the ministry and part of the money went back to him, and the second defendant made a statement before his lawyer that the contract was given at his boss’ (Kabiru T Turaki) instruction, and he transferred part of the money to his boss and his business partners, all on his instruction”.

Bello also told the court that the first defendant confirmed that he was the Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs as well as supervising Minister  for the Ministry of Labour within the period of the investigation.

Justice Ekwo thereafter adjourned the matter till April 19, 20 and 21, 2021 for cross examination of PW12 and continuation of trial.

Turaki, his special assistant Sampson Okpetu and two companies: Samtee Essentials Limited and Pasco Investment Limited are standing trial on a 16-count charge of fraud amounting to N714, 670, 014.87 (Seven Hundred and Fourteen Million Six Hundred and Seventy Thousand and Fourteen Naira).