CCT TRIAL: Banker narrates how Saraki moved $3m abroad

Senate President Bukola Saraki’s ongoing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) continued on Tuesday with a witness, Nwachukwu Amazu, a banker with GTBank, testifying how Saraki transferred $3million abroad during his days as Kwara State governor.

The CCT Chairman Danladi Umar had on the occasion asked the defendant if he needed water and even motioned as if to offer water to Mr. Saraki inside the dock. The gesture suggested more of saying, do you need to calm yourself down with some chilled water Mr. Saraki while the witness testifies?

In his testimony, the witness recounted how the Senate President had while serving as Kwara State governor made a number of transactions, including a transfer of over $73,000 from his dollar account with the GTBank to his foreign account in the American Express Service Europe Ltd.

According to the witness, the reason for the movement of the money was to fund a foreign credit card, belonging to the American Express Bank and owned by Saraki.

Amazu said, “He has a domiciliary account, with the GTB in US dollars and in pounds sterling. The domiciliary account is domiciled in Ilorin.”

Asked if he was information on the mode of operation of Mr. Saraki’s foreign credit card he said, “I don’t know anything about the card, except if I explain with my knowledge of the GTB credit card in the Nigerian perspective.”

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He went further to testify how the defendant made transaction in foreign currency including the transfer of £761,904.76 in February 2010 and another £632, 411.7 which was also transferred for the defendant to Fortis Bank in London.

He also recounted how the defendant made other several transfers using his domiciliary accounts into his foreign accounts.

The Senate President Saraki is accused by the Federal Government of false asset declaration. He has been standing trial at the CCT on a 16-count charge relating to the accusation.

The Nigerian code of conduct bars public officials including state governors from operating foreign bank accounts.

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