The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) yesterday revealed fresh facts on how former Accountant-General of the Federation, (AGF), Ahmed Idris, compromised the Treasury Single Account, (TSA), Government Integrated Financial Management Information System, (GIFMIS), Integrated Payroll and Personnel information system, (IPPIS), and carted away billions of naira belonging to the Government.
EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, made the revelation in an issued statement yesterday, in Abuja.
Idris and his co-defendants: Godfrey Olusegun Akindele and Mohammed Kudu Usman are standing trial in an N109 billion fraud case before Justice A. O. Adeyemi Ajayi, of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Maitama, Abuja.
Uwujaren disclosed that at the resumed trial of the case on Thursday, Chief Investigative Officer of the case and Prosecution Witness One, (PW1), Chief Superintendent of the EFCC, CSE Hayatu Sulaiman Ahmed, while being led in evidence by the prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), told the court that the investigations by the EFCC showed that Idris, while in office, compromised key units under his care like the TSA, GIFMIS and IPPIS that led to the loss of funds by the government.
He said Idris allegedly used the funds in constructing properties like the Gezawa Exchange Limited, Gezawa Integrated Farms, and Kano City Mall. The witness revealed that aside from the payment of money that was made on February 12, 2021, other payments were made on May 6, 2021, and between July 28, 2021, and November 5, 2021, amounting to N94.39 billion.
Ahmed further told the court that funds were shared to some groups, including the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, (RMAFC), represented by one of its Commissioners, Peace Akomas, former Deputy Governor of Abia State, who allegedly collected N18.8 billion. He said the money was withdrawn by Akindele and converted to US dollars and handed over to Akomas.
Also, properties purchased with the funds by the first and third defendants were traced to various locations in Abuja, Kano, and Minna, Niger state.
Earlier, Justice Ajayi admitted the defendants to bail on the terms earlier granted by the EFCC. The Judge thereafter adjourned the matter to August 10 and 11, 2022 for the continuation of the trial.
