Alleged N8.8bn Fraud: EFCC Presents Second Witness Against Defendants
Mobolaji Michael
THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday (Tuesday, 6th June 2023) presented its second prosecution witness (PW2) Jonathan Godwin Omorow, a clearing and forwarding agent, against Rose Nneka Adima, Obri Anthony, Alaba Daramola and Air -Avenue Resources Limited, who are facing trial over an alleged N8.8bn fraud, before justice Nicholas Oweibo of a Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos.
The defendants are being prosecuted on a 13-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of Eight Billion, Eight Hundred and Eighty- Seven Million, Five Hundred and Forty Thousand, Three Hundred and Forty-Four Naira and Eighteen Kobo (N8,887,540,344.18) only.
When asked, during yesterday’s sitting by the prosecution counsel, Bilikisu Buhari, if he knew that his signature was forged, Omorow, answered: “Yes.”
The PW2, who is also an Uber driver, told the court that when he was asked, during an interrogation at the EFCC office, if he knew the company, Air-Avenue Resources Limited, and if his signature was on a certain document, he said: “ No”.
“I recall a lady came in and when she was asked to identify Jonathan, she pointed to the wrong person and not me.
“At that point, I was asked to write a statement, and I was also asked about some documents.”
He further told the court how he received a phone call from one Segun Anthony, who told him about a business investment, while also requesting his passport photograph, BVN, passport and driver’s licence.
The PW2 further stated that he made available all the items requested by Anthony four days after pestering him, adding that “I told him that I only gave him based on trust that we had lived together in the past .”
He also told the court that Anthony, a few days after, asked for his account number and later transferred the sum of Twenty Thousand Naira (N20,000.00) only to him.
The prosecution counsel, thereafter, called for exhibit A, containing the account opening package, and showed the same to the PW2.
When asked if he was the one who filled out the forms and if it was his account details on the documents, the PW2 told the court that “I did not fill out the account opening form for Air Avenue Resource Limited”, adding that he only became aware of the documents at the EFCC office.
Also, when he was shown a separate page in the exhibit that had the particulars of the company’s Directors, he said the signature was not his and that both the address and phone number were not his either.
Though he was shown where he owned five million shares, while he was looking through the exhibit, he told the court that “ It is not true. The document for the five million shares does not carry any details about me or my signature.”
Asked if he knew Anthony, a witness who claimed to have witnessed him signing those “Director Documentations”, he said: “ No”.
Also, when he was also shown a document where he purportedly instructed Zenith Bank to open the account for Air-Avenue Resources Limited account, he said: “ The documents are wrong. I have no shares in that company and I did not instruct Zenith Bank to open an account for Air- Avenue Resources Limited. I don’t have an account with Zenith Bank.”
Asked if he ever instructed Zenith Bank to withdraw money from Air-Avenue Resources Limited account, if he was present at any Board meetings, where they reached a resolution or if he instructed anyone to incorporate a company for him, the witness responded that he never knew about Air-Avenue Resources Limited until he was invited to the EFCC.
He also said that he never asked anyone to open an account on his behalf, adding that “I have never been present in any meeting.”
Counsel to the defendants prayed the court for a date to go over the documents to cross-examine the witness.
The judge adjourned till 17 July 2023 for continuation of trial.
Eighteen-Eleven Media
