Godwin Tsa, Abuja
A prosecution witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission not (EFCC) has told the Abuja division of the Federal High Court how the former chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, paid N150m cash for a choice property in Abuja.
The witness, Khalid Aliyu who is Maina’s younger brother told the court that the said multi-million naira property is located at Life Camp area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Aliyu who happens to be a relation to Maina gave evidence in the 12-count charge of money laundering against him and his firm, Common Input Property and Investment Limited.
Maina’s other relations who have testified against him include his late brother’s wife, Mrs. Mairo Mohammed and Mrs. Nasifat Aliyu, his sister who gave evidence as PW4.
When the trial resumed on Thursday, Aliyu who testified as the 5th prosecution witness told Justice Okon Abang that his elder brother used him and his colleague, Oluwatoyin Maseke, to open an account with his sister’s name.
The witness who was led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar said: “I know the 1st defendant, he is my brother, Abdulrasheed Maina. We are from the same father and same mother.
“At some point, my brother requested me and my colleague Toyin Meseke, to open a savings account for my sister, Nafisat Aliyu, although she was not aware of the transaction.
“We proceeded to her house in Wuse 2 to collect her utility bill as part of the requirement to open an account.
“Later, Oluwatoyin Meseke collected a copy of her international passport from my brother to complete her account registration. This was because at that time, she was supposed to accompany our mother to the hospital. Her passport and that of my mother was with my brother for visa processing.
“We particularly requested for the utility bill, but she was unaware of the account opening.
After we collected the documents for the purpose of the account opening, Oluwatoyin completed the account opening form and the account began transaction.
“Later my sister complained to me that she was receiving debit alert messages on her phone. I asked her to show the messages to me and later advised her to see my colleague Toyin to have her details excluded.
“Toyin Meseke was the one that was single-handedly managed the account. He is aware of most of the inflows and outflows from the account. Although the account after it was opened, was placed under my balance-sheet in order to boost my balance sheet.”
Continuing his evidence-in-chief, the witness said: “There is an account that my friend called Sani Musa who registered a company with the C.A.C. opened. The company is called Cluster Logistics.
“Though I wasn’t part of the registration, he sought my consent to add me as a director in the firm. He initiated the idea of both of us as friends was to start a small scale business. My brother was aware of our intention to start the small scale business.
“Afterwards, the 1st defendant requested to use the company for verification exercise, which we agreed to. But he directed that one Abubakar Mustapha should be the sole signatory.
“Even though Abubakar Mustapha was the identification on the account opening form, the 1st defendant was the signatory.
“There is a third account by Dr. Faisal Abdullahi. The 1st defendant also requested an account by Dr. Faisal Abdullahi be opened as part of investment account for his farm proceeds.
“A man by the name Abdullahi, with a driver’s licence as his identification card, provided me with documents for the account opening. The signatory to the account was also the 1st defendant,” the witness added.
On how Maina bought the choice property, the witness said: “The 1st defendant sent me on errand to one Alhaji Ali Sani for payment of a property located in Life Camp. The property was of the value of N150m.
“The 1st defendant gave me the money in cash to deliver to Alhaji Sani. He gave me the money at his residence in Kado Estate, Abuja.
“It was in Dollar currency. After he gave me the money, I delivered it to Alhaji Sani at his residence. He collected it, confirmed it with his people, and handed over the documents to the property to be delivered to the 1st defendant.”
While being cross-examined by Maina’s lawyer, Mr. Afam Osigwe, he denied being involved in money laundering or fraudulently scheme while he worked as a banker between 2008 and 2012.
He insisted that though his name was listed as a director with shares in Cluster Logistics, the firm his brother used its account to conduct transactions, he told the court that he never personally signed the account documents.“
As a director in Cluster Logistics, I am the lowest shareholder in the company and as at the time my friend registered the company with my consent, he wrote my name and signed it.“
In the same way, he was the person that signed the resolution with one Abubakar Mohammed who signed as the secretary.“
When I was informed that I was given shares and made a director in the company, I accepted it.
“I accepted the resolution that authorized the account opening, even though it was my friend that signed and wrote my name on it.”
However, he admitted that standard banking practice required that identify and particulars of any signatory to an account must be ascertained and verified.
“We have to also visit the contact address to confirm that the individual lives there and that the address actually exists. This is why as part of the Know-Your-Customer, KYC, we have to write a verification report.
“An account will not be authorised in the banking data base, unless the details are authenticated through the verification process.
“Besides being a civil servant, my brother was also involved in farming. He has a farm along Keffi Road, Nasarawa State.
“I am an experienced banker. I underwent so many trainings that included anti-money laundering trainings.
“I am aware that under the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, no individual can make a cash payment of N500, 000 or its equivalent in foreign exchange.”
Aliyu admitted that it is not an acceptable practice in banking for a person who is not a signatory to an account to sign instruments for transaction in the account.
The witness said he could not confirm if it was Maina’s phone number that was attached to the account opening package.
“This is because it has been many years since I left the bank.
“I did not fill the account opening package, although I viewed and verified the identity card which was driver’s licence of the account holder. But the completion and filling of the form, which is KYC, was done by my colleague, Toyin Meseke.”
Meanwhile, Justice Abang has adjourned the case till Friday for further cross-examination of the witness.