The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, ?rested its submissions against a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole and his deputy, Usman Nafada who are being prosecuted before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, sitting in Abuja.??
At the resumed hearing of the case, the EFCC presented three witnesses and one exhibit, bringing to 12 witnesses and 42 exhibits presented before the court. With the conclusion of its submissions against the two accused persons, the EFCC is awaiting the ruling of the court on the charges preferred against them.??
The duo of Bankole and Nafada are being prosecuted by the EFCC for criminal breach of trust, misappropriation and theft.
The witnesses presented before the court? include Mr. Franklyn Onyesagbe;? a civil servant and a principal administrative officer with the Federal Ministry of Finance; he testified that in June 201,? his office received a letter from EFCC requesting for the procedures for lending monies by government agencies which he said his office promptly responded to. The response to the letter which was signed by the Director General, Budget office was admitted in evidence and marked A42.
Others that testified include Alhaji Salisu Abubakar Maikasuwa; clerk of the National Assembly and Mr. Rasheed Abdullahi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police on secondment to the EFCC. The Clerk of the National Assembly, during cross examination, also confirmed that the House of Representative took the said loan from U.B.A and First Bank respectively.
?Maikasuwa disclosed that the National Assembly operates three accounts: Senate account, House of reps account and the Management account. He however confirmed that while the speaker is the approving officer for the House of Reps accounts, no proceedings can take place if the Clerk does not append his signature. The defence, led by Wale Akanni, counsel to the 1st accused person, requested for the court proceedings to enable them prepare for their defence .The judge, however, asked him to apply to the Registrar.
It would be recalled that EFCC, on Thursday, November 24th, 2011, tendered 16 exhibits against the two accused persons.? At a previous proceeding of the court, five prosecution witnesses were led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Festus Keyamo. All the five witnesses gave evidence and tendered documents which the trial judge, Justice Sulaiman Belgore admitted as exhibits and marked Exhibits A25 to A41.
