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Alleged $6bn fraud: Agunloye’s objection compel EFCC to submit documents
An objection raised by the former Minister of Power and Steel, Dr Olu Agunloye, to the oral evidence of prosecution witness in his ongoing trial, on Monday, forced the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to tender documentary evidence.
The EFCC is prosecuting the former minister before an Abuja High Court over alleged $6 billion infractions in the award of contract for construction of Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Station in Taraba.
Agunloye is standing trial on an amended seven-count charge of forgery, disobeying presidential directive and gratification before Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the FCT High Court, sitting at Apo.
“In the charge, marked FCT/HC/CR/617/2023, EFCC alleged that Agunloye awarded contract for the Mambilla project in May 22, 2003 to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Ltd (SPTCL) without any budgetary provision, approval and cash backing.
The commission, also among others, alleged that the former minister received the total of N5.212 million from SPTCL Ltd and Leno Adesanya, through Jide Abiodun Sotirin, which was paid into his Guaranty Trust Bank account.
The amount, the commission said was paid to the defendant, for obtaining the Federal Government’s approval for the construction of the Mambilla power project in favour of SPTCL while serving as minister.”
The former minister, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
At the resumed hearing on the matter,the third prosecution witness (PW3), Umar Babangida, an Assistant Commissioner of Police on secondment to EFCC from the Nigeria Police Force, testified.
He narrated how on Oct. 6, 2021, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice petitioned the anti-graft agency and requested an investigation into the May 22, 2003 approval to SPTCL Ltd for the construction of the Mambilla project.
Babangida, who was led in his evidence by prosecution counsel, Abba Mohammed SAN, said that the petition was assigned to the special committee he headed to investigate.
He said his team wrote to Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), requesting for documents on incorporation of SPTCL Ltd, which revealed that the company was incorporated in 2001 with two directors, Laitan Adesanya and Ibironke Adesanya.
He explained that between 2003 and 2020, the company’s share capital rose from 1,250,000 to 10 million ordinary shares.
He added that Laitan Adesanya held the major shares of 8,725,000 and was the Managing Director/CEO of the company.
The PW3 further narrated to the court that his team wrote to the Federal Ministry of Power and Steel, requesting for records of bidding process and evaluation.
He also added how his team requested for recommendation and approval for the award of the Mambilla power project, which he said the team received from the ministry.
The ACP informed the court that part of the documents received from the ministry was a letter dated April 7, 2003, written by the then minister, Dr Agunloye.
“The letter was addressed to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR.
” The letter reminded the President of the earlier approval by the President for the Ministry of Power and Steel to conduct further negotiations between the ministry and Tafag Nigeria Ltd and Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Ltd.
“The letter further informed Mr President that after negotiations with the companies, the proposal and presentations by Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Ltd for the construction of the Mambilla Hydropower Station, on built, operate and transfer basis, was found to be more superior and acceptable.”
The PW3 added that Obasanjo later endorsed the letter to then minister, “stating no objection but bring memo to council with comparison to coal fired thermal of 4,000 megawatt to 5,000 megawatts.”
Babagida narrated how his team of investigators wrote and received response from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Cabinet Affairs Office.
Also, when PW3 was questioned on the meeting of the Federal Executive Council of May 21, 2003, then, Counsel to Agunloye, Mr Adeola Adedipe SAN, objected to further testimony by Babangida
According to Adedipe, the PW3’s evidence violated Section 128(1) of the Evidence Act, submitting that the witness should not continue to give oral evidence on what had been documented.
Adedipe told the court that the document was not before the court yet, adding that the prosecution could bring it and demonstrate same.
The prosecution counsel while responding to the objection, however, said there was nothing in Section 128(1) of the Evidence Act which precluded an investigator from giving evidence of what he saw, heard or generated in the course of his investigation.
The defence’s objection was upheld by the court following which the prosecution tendered the documents.
The documents ncluded the petition by the Attorney-General of the Federation; letters of investigation activities to to both CAC and SGF, among others.
The documents were subsequently admitted and marked as exhibits by the court.
Meanwhile, Justice Onwuegbuzie adjourned until April 30 for continuation of hearing.
(NAN)
President Donald Trump said Monday in an interview with CBS that the war with Iran was “very complete” and that the United States was far ahead of his initial timeline of around a month.
US stocks jumped higher and oil prices sank in after-hours trading following Trump’s comments, despite the fact that there were no immediate signs of the conflict abating.
“I think the war is very complete, pretty much. They have no navy, no communications, they’ve got no air force,” Trump told CBS News by phone.
“Their missiles are down to a scatter. Their drones are being blown up all over the place, including their manufacturing of drones,” he added. “If you look, they have nothing left. There’s nothing left in a military sense.”
Trump told the US broadcaster that the United States was “very far” ahead of his initially stated war time frame of four or five weeks.
The US leader has given similar assessments in recent days of battle damage from the US-Israeli strikes that began on February 28, but had not gone as far in saying that the war was nearing an end.
Just last Friday, Trump issued a statement that Iran’s “unconditional surrender” was the only acceptable outcome for ending the war.
And his comments came about an hour after the Pentagon posted on social media that the United States had “only just begun to fight.”
CBS reported that when asked if he thought the war could wrap up soon, Trump answered: “Wrapping up is all in my mind, nobody else’s.”
Trump also threatened Iran if it tried to close the Strait of Hormuz, the shipping lane where oil tanker transit has already virtually halted, sending energy prices soaring around the world.
He said he was “thinking about taking it over” even as he insisted that traffic was starting to move.
The US president however had few words for Iran’s new supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who was elected to replace his slain father Ali Khamenei.
“I have no message for him. None, whatsoever,” Trump said, adding that he had someone else in mind to lead Iran.
Trump earlier told the New York Post he was “not happy” with Mojtaba Khamenei’s appointment.
AFP
Nollywood icon Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde has opened up about the strength and trust that have sustained her 30-year marriage, revealing she has never had to confront her husband over infidelity.
In an interview on the Afropolitan podcast, the actress and philanthropist described her union with husband Matthew Ekeinde as built on mutual trust, selflessness, and zero ego clashes. She emphasized that she has never fought over another woman in their three decades together.
“I’ve been married to him now 30 years. I’ve never fought over a girl, you know?” Omotola said. “He doesn’t disturb me. If I have to go to my work, I go to my work. I come back. He trusts me totally. I trust him.”
The mother of four stressed that divorce is not an option for her personally, though she made it clear she is not against it for others.
“Divorce is not an option for me. It doesn’t mean it’s not an option for you. Let’s get that straight. I’m not against divorce,” she clarified. “I just always believe that marriage is a very personal thing. My marriage can never be the same thing as your marriage. No two marriages are the same because no two persons are the same.”
Omotola explained that every relationship has different “ingredients,” and what works for her may not apply to others facing trust issues or betrayal.
“You might be dealing with someone that has broken your trust and you’re trying to build that back,” she noted. “So those things are different… For me, how do you want to penetrate? It’s going to be very hard because I know this person. I’ve been with this person for 30 years, since I was 18.”
The veteran actress praised her husband’s character, describing him as “very selfless” and free of ego, qualities she credits for the peace and longevity of their marriage.
With over three decades in the acting profession, Omotola is known for movies like Blood Sister, RattleSnake: The Ahanna Story, Alter Ego, amongst others.
The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has warned that petrol prices could surge to nearly N2,000 per litre if current trends persist.
This is following Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals’ hike of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), to N1,175 per litre from N995 on Monday.
PETROAN urged the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) to urgently boost domestic refining capacity to insulate Nigeria from global petroleum market shocks. PETROAN president, Dr Billy Gillis-Harry said, “PMS could rise close to N2,000 per litre while AGO may approach N3,000 per litre if the situation persists,” Dr Harry warned.
PETROAN specifically called on NNPC Group CEO Engr. Bayo Ojulari to restart production at local refineries, including the Area 5 Plant at Port Harcourt and Warri Refinery, which operated briefly before shutting down for profitability assessments.
Dr Harry linked the volatility to the Israel-US-Iran conflict, with drone and missile attacks disrupting oil routes and supply chains. Before the crisis, he noted, petrol sold at N774 per litre (now over N1,000, up 30 per cent) and diesel (AGO) at N950 (now N1,400+, up 49 per cent).He stressed rehabilitating government refineries to leverage Nigeria’s crude reserves under NNPC custody, making them less vulnerable than import-reliant private ones.
Continued hikes, he warned, would fuel inflation, job losses, economic hardship, higher transport costs, and pricier goods—PMS powers daily mobility, AGO industry.
Dr Harry lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s oil and gas reforms, urging him to order immediate refinery restarts for citizen relief and economic stimulus.
Iran war ‘pretty much’ over – Trump
‘I’ve never fought my husband over infidelity’ – Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde
Petrol May Hit N2,000 per Litre Amid Refinery Price Hike, PETROAN Warns
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