Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, allegedly collected N23 billion ($115.01million) from three oil marketers ahead of the 2015 general election.
An investigator, Usman Zakari, made the allegation on Friday at the Federal High Court in Lagos while testifying in a case by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, against former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Jumoke Akinjide.
The oil marketers said to be involved in the payment, he said, were Autus Integrated Limited; Northern Belt Oil and Gas and Mid-Western Oil Services Limited.
One Lano Adesanya was said to have also contributed some money.
Zakari said while Autus Integrated Limited took $17.8 million to the bank; Northern Belt Oil and Gas lodged $60 million while Mid-Western Oil Services Limited paid $9.5 million.
On his own part, Adesanya, contributed $1.8 million.
The money, he explained, was distributed to chieftains of the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Other people were also said to have a share of the money.
Charged along with Akinjide before the court headed by Justice Muslim Hassan are former Senator representing Oyo Central Senatorial District, Ayo Adeseun; Chief Olarenwaju Otiti, a PDP chieftain in Oyo State and Mrs Alison-Madueke, who is said to be at large.
The charge against them is that they conspired to directly take possession of N650million, despite the knowledge that it was part of proceeds of an unlawful act, and without going through a financial institution.
According to Zakari, Akinjide and others allegedly collected N650 million in cash in March 2015 at a bank in Ibadan on the instruction of the former petroleum minister.
The money was said to be part of the N23 billion and kept in the bank.
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Led in evidence by prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, Zakari said Alison-Madueke had in December 2014 during a meeting told the bank’s managing director that the oil marketers would bring in some hard currencies and that they should be kept and await further instructions.
He disclosed that Alison-Madueke directed that Akinjide should be paid after the money had been converted from dollar to naira.
Said Zakari: “They signed for the money and took it to the residence of the first defendant (Akinjide). The defendants made cash payment of N650 million without going through any financial institution, an amount which was more than the amount authorised by law to be paid in cash.”
He said both Akinjide and Adeseun admitted that they made cash payments in that amount.
However, Chief Bolaji Ayorinde who is the defence counsel in the case and Michael Lana asked the court to ignore the evidence by Zakari.
According to them, he was not at the meeting said to have been held at Alison-Madueke’s house.
Oyedepo countered the request, arguing that the evidence by Zakari was based on pure investigative work carried out and could not be considered as hearsay.
