A witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Abu Sule, told a Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday how he allegedly helped a former Governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim, to conceal the ownership of a mansion in Asokoro, Abuja, which he said the ex-governor bought with $2.29m in November 2008.
Sule was the Managing Director of Tweenex Consociates H.D. Ltd., the company which Ohakim allegedly used to conceal his ownership of the property.
Ohakim, who was Imo State governor between 2007 and 2011, is facing three counts of money laundering arising from his alleged purchase of the House 60, Kwame Nkrumah Street, Plot No. 1098, Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro District, Abuja, with a cash payment of dollar equivalent of N270m in November 2008.
He was also accused of failing to declare the property as part of his assets when asked by the EFCC to do so.
The prosecution said the offences bordering on cash payment of N270m violated section 15(1)(d) and section 14(1)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004.
Sule, who is the second prosecution witness in the case, told Justice Adeniyi Ademola, on Monday, that the former governor instructed him to use his (Sule’s) company, Tweenex Consociates H.D. Ltd, to buy the property.
Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Mr. Festus Keyamo, Sule who described Ohakim as his “senior friend and benefactor,” said the former governor subsequently put pressure on him to prepare a tenancy agreement in order to conceal the former governor’s ownership of the house.
Sule said, “Before November 2008, he requested that I buy him a house in Asokoro.
“When we found one for him at 60, Kwame Nkrumah Street in Asokoro, we told him and he trusted my judgment on it. I told him the price was N270m and he provided me with the money about $2.29m or thereabout in cash.
“I collected the money from him at the Imo State Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro at night. The money was in cash in one tranche and he said that I should use it to pay for the house at 60, Kwame Nkrumah Street, Asokoro.
“The following day, I called Alhaji Muktari Isa Maidabino, then we met at Unity Bank, Maitama. Alhaji Muktari Maidabino said he had loan with the bank, so he offset the loan and retrieved the documents. When I collected the title documents I informed Chief Ohakim so that he could give us the name we were to use for the deed of assignment and power of attorney.
“After a little delay, he said I should use my company name, Tweenex Consociates H.D. Ltd for the deed of assignment and power of attorney.
“We did as he said and I signed the sales of agreement and deed of assignment.”
Fielding questions from Keyamo, the witness said the house was not a gift from Ohakim, adding that he handed over sales agreement and deed of assignment to Ohakim.
He said, “After we perfected the purchase we renovated the house for one and a half years.
“After the renovation, we handed over the house to him.
“In 2012, Chief Ohakim, now put pressure on me and made me to do a tenancy agreement between him and Tweenex Consociates.
“We did him an offer letter and he wrote us an acceptance of the offer accompanied with three cheques totaling N20m. We issued him a receipt and we gave him a tenancy agreement.”
Responding to Keyamo’s question, Sule said since the expiration of the “purported rent” in April 2014 his company had never made request for its renewal.
He added that the N20m given to his company by Ohakim purportedly for payment of rent was actually meant for the renovation of another house belonging to the former governor in Asokoro.
“Chief Ohakim said we should use the N20m to renovate his house at No. 8, Haile Selassie, Asokoro Abuja,” Sule said.
Sales agreement, deeds of assignment along with the tenancy agreement and cheques issued by Ohakim with respect to the property were tendered by Ohakim and admitted by the court as exhibits.
Earlier, while cross-examining the first prosecution witness, Mr. Ishaya Dauda, defence counsel, Chief Awa Kalu (SAN), had said a search conducted by the EFCC at the Abuja Geographic Information Systems failed to yield any link between Ohakim and the property.
But he added that Ohakim had explained to the EFCC that his (Ohakim’s) failure to declare the property as part of his assets was because his house in Owerri, the Imo State capital, had just been burnt down and his state of mind when he was arrested.
He also tendered seven documents including petitions which he said led to the EFCC’s investigation of the case.
Upon request by the defence counsel, Justice Ademola adjourned cross-examination of Sule till January 26, 2016.
