I Handed $15.8m To Suswam In His Abuja House, Says Witness

 

Abubakar Umar, the fourth prosecution witness in the trial of a former Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam, testified on Wednesday.

Umar told Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed of the Federal High Court that he handed over $15.8million to Suswam at his Maitama residence, Abuja.

The Bureau De Change Operator and CEO of Fanffash Resources has been in the witness box since 2018.

The PW4 disclosed that he received calls from associates of Suswam threatening him to change his statement.

Umar revealed that sometime in August 2014, Suswam, at his home, introduced him to a lady whom he was asked to give his account details.

“Suswam said when I see the money, I should give him the dollar equivalent which I did, amounting to $15.8m using N197 as exchange rate. I handed over the dollars in cash to Suswam at his residence in Abuja”

Umar told the court that he never mentioned that he handed over the money to Suswam at Kubwa but Maitama.

The witness said his company, Fanffash Resources, had no relationship with the Benue State Government and Elixir Investment Partners Limited.

Justice Mohammed adjourned the matter until May 25, 2021 for continuation of trial.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) re-arraigned Suswam and his ex-Commissioner of Finance, Omodachi Okolobia, on November 2, 2020 for fraud.

They were docked on amended 11-count charges, bordering on theft, criminal breach of trust, illegal award of contracts and money laundering to the tune of N3.1 billion.