Money Laundering: Maina’s Witness Failed To Show Evidence Of N282 Billion Recoveries By Ex-Pension Boss

At the resumed hearing of the alleged money laundering trial of the embattled former chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Taskforce Team, Abulrasheed Maina, his first defense witness, Ngozika Ihuoma(a management consultant to PRTT) could not show the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, the documents backing his claim that the PRTT under Maina had recovered N282 billion as well as prosecuted pension thieves.

THE WHISTLER had reported that Ihuoma told Justice Okong Abang on Tuesday that despite the alleged persecution of Maina by agencies of Government , the task team under his supervision had saved the country about 282-billion-naira in cash.

“The Task Team told the Economic Management Team of then President Goodluck Jonathan, that it saved 282-billion-naira cash which was warehoused at the CBN…. as well as an Interim forfeiture of 222 choice properties of pension thieves valued at 1.63 trillion naira…,” he had said.

But during cross-examination on Friday by the EFCC’s counsel, M.S. Abubakar, he was asked to show the evidence of his claims.

“You said PRTT recovered 282 billion naira within the first eighteen months…you did not tender any document to support this claim.

“You have not produced any document before this court to prove the value of the purported 222 properties was worth 1.63 trillion naira.

“You have not tendered before this court a list of those properties in your evidence in chief?” Abubakar asked

The witness, Ihuoma, then admitted that he did not provide any evidence to the court to prove his assertions, but added that he had them and he could get them.

“I have not tendered the document for now but I have them,” he said.

Earlier, he said he also had photocopies of documents showing the acquisition of ICT items and equipment for biometrics and other expenses of staff both of PRTT members and the staff of the office of the then Head of Civil Service of the Federation.

But he held that the original copy was in the custody of Maina.

As such, the defense counsel, Abiola Olawole, prayed the trial judge to admit it as an evidence.

But the prosecution urged the judge not admit it, saying that the face of the document appeared to be a public document and it was neither original nor a certified true copy.

In his bench ruling, Justice Abang agreed with the prosecution that the document cannot be admitted.

He also adjourned the matter to March 9,10,11 for cross examination of the witness and continuation of trial.