EFCC witness contradicts self in ex-Gov Shema’s N5.7bn fraud trial

A principal witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nasiru Ingawa, on Thursday contradicted himself in the trial of former Governor Ibrahim Shema.

Shema, a former governor of Katsina State, is being prosecuted by the EFCC over alleged laundering of N5.7 billion belonging to the state office of Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme.

When the trial came up on Thursday, lead counsel to the defendant, Sebastine Hon (SAN) faulted the claims that his client paid for unexecuted contracts.

At the proceeding, Ingawa, when confronted with exhibits including sales invoices containing the contract sums, failed to defend the claim he made earlier, where he alleged that the contract sums were inflated by the former governor.

Hon told Ingawa to take a look at some documents including those marked Exhibits A, H, I and M, among others.

Ingawa took time to look at the documents which contained several attachments including sale invoices submitted by contractors and lists of people who collected money to execute some of the SURE-P projects.

Hon, thereafter asked him if the content on the document did not contradict his (Ingawa’s) earlier claims that money was paid for contracts not executed and contracts sums were inflated.

He told him, “This is your statement and nothing to show on the exhibits that contracts were inflated. The invoices also showed that items were delivered.

“Also, the two invoices which were attachments to Exhibit A showed contracts sums of N100 million and N41 million respectively which also showed total execution of the contracts at the exact sum of N141 million.

“Also, look at Exhibit H, there is no evidence of inflation of contract. I put it to you that due process was followed in the execution of the contracts. Contracts were executed and items delivered to the store of Sure-P based on documents tendered as exhibits.”

Responding, Ingawa said “I am not aware of the exhibits and the documents.”

He went further to accept that he was the Chief Accounting Officer of Sure-P and that all the memo for the contracts awarded were authored by him and not the former governor.

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After that event, the prosecution counsel, led by Offot Uket applied for the adjournment of the trial.

He said that would allow for re-examination of the witness.

The matter was then adjourned by the trial judge, Justice Hadiza Shagari, to April 23 and 24, 2020 for the re-examination and continuation of the trial.

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