Anthony Iwuoma
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) stirred confusion, on Wednesday, during its trial of Sen. Shehu Sani for an alleged $25,000 bribe.
The anti-graft agency contradicted its statement against the former federal lawmaker and rights activist, who is being prosecuted for allegedly demanding $25,000 in bribes from the owner of ASD Motors, Alhaji Sani Dauda.
The EFCC counsel had, on Tuesday, tendered documents before the court, which stated that Sen. Sani was being tried for $10,000, as was later published on the agency’s official Twitter page.
This was contrary to the commission’s earlier claim of $25,000.
However, on Wednesday, Sen. Sani’s lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, who represented Femi Falana Chambers, sought clarification of the contradictory figures of $25,000 and $10,000.
The EFCC’s counsel asked the court to ignore the official Twitter publication but the trial judge, Justice Ekwo, explained that the court proceedings were conducted openly and that journalists were free to publish their stories.
Meanwhile, two prosecution witnesses also denied transferring money to Sen. Sani’s account.
Responding during cross examination by Defence Counsel, a star witness from the Guaranteed Trust Bank testified under oath to transferring money from ASD Motors account to one Abubakar, and not Shehu Sani’s account.
Prodded further, he said: “My Lord, again, I say, the money in question was transferred to a domiciliary account belonging to Abubakar and not Shehu Sani.”
Another prosecution witness, Abubakar Ahmed, who is a bureau de change operator, also testified that the son of ASD Motors called him sometime in November 2019 to their family house in Maitama to change the foreign currency, which he did.
When asked to identify Shehu Sani, he added that he had neither seen the activist before nor had he ever changed foreign currencies to local currency for him.
Subsequently, the case was adjourned till May 5, 2020.
