Shehu Sani vs EFCC: Witness denies knowledge of what alledged $25,000 meant for

As cross examination of the alleged $25,000 against Senator Shehu Sani continues for the third day, another EFCC’s principal witness, Mohammed Sani Dauda in his oral testimony on Wednesday said he didn’t know what the money alledgedly offered by his father, Alhaji Sani Dauda was meant for.

Mohammed who is the son of the proprietor of ASD Motors was cross examined by the Defence Counsel to the ex-lawmaker Senator Shehu Sani.

The testifier said he knew Shehu Sani well enough to recognize him anywhere, saying that his father, Alhaji Sani Dauda didn’t disclose to him initially his transaction with the ex-lawmaker, until his father travelled to Hajj and called him on the 29th November, 2019 to tell him that Senator Shehu Sani would be refunding some money.

He explained: “My father had sometime in November told me that Senator Shehu Sani has collected $13,000 from him and that he want him to refund the money.

Defence Counsel asked if he was privy to his father offering money and for what purposes.

“Can you tell this Court if you saw your father offering money to Senator Shehu Sani?

“From the way you explained, I can see that you are very close to your father, Alhaji Sani Dauda, the proprietor of ASD Motors, can say exactly what the money was for.?”

Responding, he said, he only called Sani, which he didn’t pick his calls and he later sent him text of over what his father told him. He further insisted that he wasn’t there to know for which purposes, the money was given Shehu Sani by his father.

The presiding Judge, Inyang Ekwo also allowed the (PW) which was presented by the Counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Hajia Halimat Umar who worked as a forensic auditor with the Commission.

In her testimony to questions posed by the Defence Counsel, Abdullahi Ibrahim, she explained that it was within her mandate to take a forensic analysis of communication devices of the accused and the complainant which she did.

Presenting the forensic form bearing results of Shehu Sani’s communication with Alhaji Sani Dauda involving the alleged $25,000, which was later shown to the Defence lawyer and the accused, Halimat pointed that her responsibility stopped at that point.

She however admitted that Shehu Sani’s phone was taken away from him while in custody without his consent and that of his lawyer when asked if Shehu Sani’s lawyer was aware that his phone would be taken away for forensic audit.

Justice Inyang Ekwo after listening to both parties for close to two hours adjourned the case till Thursday, 9th June, 2020.