The Federal Excessive Courtroom has admitted contemporary proof in opposition to former Accountant Normal of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, in his ongoing trial for alleged N109 billion fraud.
The Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee (EFCC) made this recognized in a press release, saying that Idris, the primary accused in a fourteen indictment bordering on gratification, abuse of workplace and cash laundering, amounting to over N109 billion, alleged that EFCC to make his assertion below duress, necessitating a trial-within-trial to find out the veracity of his declare.
Idris is on trial together with three others: his firm, Godfrey Olusegun Akindele and Mohammed Kudu Usman.
Through the trial, Hayatuddeen Ahmad, the prosecution's first witness, informed the courtroom that Idris had given his assertion to the Fee voluntarily and had not been pressured or misled to take action.
Opposite to Idris' declare, Ahmad acknowledged that the suspect was by no means promised that he wouldn’t be prosecuted by the Fee.
Below cross-examination by the prosecutor, Rotimi Jacobs, Ahmad stated the defendant had been warned and knowledgeable that the case can be taken to courtroom.
“There was no such misrepresentation of the promise made to the primary defendant. After being warned, he was informed the case would find yourself in courtroom. The accused got here along with his authorized consultant within the particular person of Gbenga Adeyemi, who witnessed the assertion from begin to end. He signed to point out that he understood the cautionary assertion,” Ahmad stated.
In keeping with the witness, Idris' assertion was “recorded within the Chairman's Monitoring Unit (CMU), with a purposeful recording system and a chair for the defendant's comfort. There was a desk, a lamp and a rest room.”
He acknowledged that “after the primary defendant got here ahead, phrases of warning have been written and introduced to him, which he learn and understood. The extra assertion was a continuation of a number of the points associated to investigation.”
The witness revealed that there was an interview session with the primary, second and third defendants on the CMU the place they mentioned points referring to the investigation, noting that there was a video recording to substantiate this matter to point out how the environment within the jail was calm and peaceable. job interview at CMU.
Ahmad recognized the primary defendant's cautionary assertion, dated Could 25, 2022 and witnessed by his lawyer, and different statements dated Could 26; Could 31; 1 June; June the sixth; June tenth; and June 27, 2022.
He stated the recording was made on his official Samsung cell phone, after which the video was processed right into a DVD file.
When Ahmad performed the DVD in courtroom, he simply recognized the suspects and testified that Mahmud Tukur, head of CMU 2, and Mubarak Isa have been witnesses through the taking of Idris' statements.
Decide Yusuf Halilu, who defined the case additional, then admitted the DVD into proof, marked 'TWT-A', within the trial-within-trial, entitled Exhibit A.
Ahmad revealed that in Idris' tenure, the defendants benefited from a non-existent consultancy agency of the Workplace of the Accountant Normal, discussing within the video the components for sharing the illegally obtained funds.
Following cross-examination by counsel for the primary defendant, Justice Halilu adjourned the matter till Wednesday, March 20, for the continuation of intra-trial proceedings.
