Ex-HoS Ran A Private Company While Serving As Top Civil Servant – EFCC Operative Tells Court

A witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Hamma-Adama Bello has narrated to a Federal High Court in Abuja how the immediate-past Head of Service, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, used her companies to launder government funds while in service.

Bello, a Chief Superintendent of EFCC and the Head of the Special Investigation Team spoke while giving evidence before Justice James Omotosho as the 8th prosecution witness (PW8).

Mr Bello, led in evidence by the EFCC’s lawyer, Farouk Abdullah, said his team received intelligence from the office of the anti-graft agency’s chairman sometime in 2019.

“The intelligence bordered on the activities of the 1st defendant (Oyo-Ita), her minister then in the Ministry of Special Duty and Intergovernmental Affairs where she was serving.

“The 1st defendant was the Permanent Secretary then, and other staff that included Mr Ubong, the 7th defendant,” he said.

The witness said the team invited Oyo-Ita and her Special Assistant, Ubong Effiok, having received and analyzed documents relating to the intelligence.

According to him, it was discovered that the 1st defendant was the beneficial owner of two companies; Frontline Ace Global Services Limited and Asanaya Projects Ltd.

Mr Bello further informed the court that investigation revealed that Oyo-Ita maintained two accounts in Zenith Bank Plc for Frontline Ace Global Services Limited.

Besides, he said it was discovered that the ex-HoS had severally sat as Chairman, and CEO of Frontline Ace Global Services Ltd where she issued both resolutions to open the said accounts.

Justice Omotosho adjourned the matter until 28 January for the continuation of trial. 

Eighteen-Eleven Media