A PROSECUTION witness, Mrs. Azeezat Fadipe had at an Oyo State High Court on Monday, testified against two Executive Directors of the National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT), accused of contract splitting to the tune of N398 million by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Presiding Judge, Justice Muktar Abimbola also admitted the bank certificates and account statements tendered by the witness as exhibits in the alleged fraud case against the duo of Dr. Ademola Idowu, former Executive Director and Mr. Isaiah Ajisafe, Head of Finance and Accounts (NIHORT).
While being led in evidence by Kayode Oni, the prosecuting counsel, Mrs. Fadipe disclosed that an account was opened with the defunct Trans International Bank (now Heritage Bank) in 2001 as a corporate current account with the name Horticultural Pest and Diseases Limited.
The highlight of her testimony was when she said N850, 000 and N3 million were credited into the account on February 13 and February 27, 2007 respectively.
Fadipe also disclosed that a sum of N2 million was withdrawn from the account by one Mrs. D. S. Saliu and N568, 000 by another Mr. I.A. Akinleye, both on Sept. 6, 2007 and also mentioned the names of other people who withdrew from the same account.
Fadipe could however, not reveal the identity of the signatories to the account, during a cross-examination by the defence counsel, Mr. GbonajoBadejo (SAN). This, she said was due to the fact that she was not the account officer of the said account.
Justice Muktar Abimbola admitted the documents as exhibits and adjourned the case to March 3 for continuation of hearing and also granted bail to the two defendants, after they pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Idowu and Mr. Isaiah Ajisafe, former Head of Finance and Account of the institute, are facing a 16-count charge brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Prosecuting counsel, Oni had earlier alleged that the defendants abused their offices by conspiring and fraudulently misappropriating N398 million through contracts splitting.
He alleged that the defendants awarded contracts by splitting one contract into three separate contracts and unduly withdrew money from Enterprise Bank and Bank PHB, now Keystone Bank.
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