Witness reveals how Dasuki approved $40m for Jonathan’s cousin

The first prosecution witness, called by the EFCC, Ibrahim Mahir, Tuesday, told a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja that former National Security Adviser, NSA, Sambo Dasuki authorised the payment of $40 million in favour of One Plus Holdings.

Mahir stated this at the trial of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s cousin, Robert Azibaola.

According to Manir, he was instructed by Dasuki to prepare a payment mandate of 40 million dollars in favour of the company.

“On Aug. 20, 2014, the NSA endorsed a memo to me which originated from the director of finance and administration in the office of the NSA giving bank details of a company called One Plus.

“The memo also gave details of the purpose for which the company was to be paid the sum of 40 million dollars.
“The NSA instructed me to prepare payment and my understanding of that was that I should prepare the payment mandate for One Plus for his signature.

“After I got the memo, I prepared the payment mandate, sent it to him, he signed and sent it back to me.

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“The subsequent necessary action was for me to countersign, which I did and I sent it to the CBN for payment,’’ Mahir said.

Azibaola’s lead counsel, Chris Uche, SAN, had earlier requested for an adjournment to enable him meet with his client and prepare well for the trial.

According to Uche, the defence team had difficulties in perfecting the bail conditions, adding that the conditions were only perfected last week. He added that they need more time to prepare and that there re documents they need to subpoena from the office of the NSA.

The application was however opposed by the prosecuting counsel, Mr Sylvanus Tahir, who said a witness was already in court and that he was stopped from going on lesser hajj on account of the trial.

Trial judge, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, agreed with the prosecution and ordered that the trial commences.
After the testimony of Manir, Justice Dimgba adjourned the case till July 4 and July 5 for continuation of trial.

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