Judge adjourns for 3 months, Diezani’s 2015 election loot case after pending for 7 years

There may be no end to the trial case involving the former Minister of Petroleum Diezani Alison-Madueke and an ex-Minister from Borno State, Mohammed Wakil to the tune of $115 million election money loot in 2015.

After the case which is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has lingered for the past 7 years, the presiding Judge, Justice J.K Dagat on Tuesday March 14, 2023 adjourned till June 14, three months after prosecution witnesses have testified in Court.

At the resumed hearing on Tuesday,
a witness from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on revealed how an ex-minister, Mohammed Wakil and others shared the sum of N450 million meant to influence the outcome of the 2015 presidential election in Borno State.

The case is being prosecuted by the Maiduguri Zonal Command of the EFCC at the Federal High Court, Maiduguri, Borno State.

It is recalled that on Tuesday, June 18, 2019 the former Minister, Wakil was re-arraigned alongside Garba Abacha, Ibrahim Shehu Birma, Dr. Abubakar Ali Kullima and Engr. Muhammad Baba Kachalla.

They were alleged to have received the said sum from the $115 million disbursed by a former minister of petroleum resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke to influence the outcome of the 2015 presidential election.

At the resumed trial, the counsel for the prosecutor, Mukhtar Ali Ahmed led the third prosecution witness, PW3, Dauda Umar, in evidence.

The witness narrated how the sum of N450 million was signed and collected in cash from Fidelity Bank by Wakil alongside the second defendant, Garba Abacha.

According to Umar, the money was disbursed across the country in which the sum of N450 million was signed and collected in cash via Fidelity Bank, Maiduguri Branch, by Wakil and Garba in order to influence the outcome of the 2015 presidential election.

He said: “We commenced investigation by inviting Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) officials who reported” the case.

Asked whether the first and second defendants were invited, the witness explained that Wakil, when invited by the EFCC, confirmed that he signed and collected in cash the said sum alongside the second defendant, for disbursement according to a template sent to him by PDP in Abuja.

Dauda told the court that the first defendant availed the EFCC with the template sent from the PDP headquarters for the disbursement of the money.

He also informed the court how the money was shared, explaining that the second defendant accompanied his principal, Wakil and witnessed the disbursement of the funds.

“The third defendant was invited by Wakil and collected the sum of N120,340,000.00 on behalf of Southern Borno.

“The fourth defendant who was also invited by Wakil signed and collected the sum of N88, 620,000.00 on behalf of Northern Borno, while the fifth defendant signed and collected the sum of N140, 860,000.00 for Borno Central.

“They all signed and collected the said amounts in cash at the residence of Wakil” Dauda stated.