A prosecution witness, Ismail Lawal, has told an Abuja High Court that he was instructed to collect all allowances due to former Governor of Taraba, Darius Ishaku.
Ishaku and a former Permanent Secretary, Bello Yero, are charged with 15 counts bordering on criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, and conversion of N27 billion public funds.
Lawal, a Personal Assistant to the former governor, testified under cross-examination that he collected allowances on Ishaku’s behalf, including travel, domestic staff, vehicle maintenance, medical, security, and severance allowances.
“I collected much of these allowances on his behalf. I don’t know how much was the security allowance. I don’t know the total amount of the allowances,” he said.
Lawal also revealed that he was in EFCC custody for 40 days because he failed to meet the bail conditions given to him by the commission after he was arrested in Lagos.
“I was shocked and confused when I was arrested by EFCC operatives,” he said.
The witness added that the commission did not tell him that he would be a prosecution witness while he was in detention.
Lawal confirmed that he paid money into Barrett Holdings’ account a couple of times, but claimed he did not know the company’s directors or shareholders or the relationship between Ishaku and the company.
“Sometimes I pay the allowances I was instructed to collect and sometimes he gives me cash to pay into the account,” he said.
Justice Slyvanius Oriji adjourned the case until September 30 for continuation of cross-examination of the PW1.
