Witness Tells Court Taraba Officials Directed Payments Through His Accounts in Ishaku Trial

A prosecution witness in the corruption trial of former Taraba State Governor Darius Ishaku has told the FCT High Court in Maitama that government officials directed him on how to distribute money received through his personal and business bank accounts.

Taiwo Jones, a Taraba State Government cashier and the third prosecution witness in the case, gave the evidence on Tuesday. He said funds entered two of his personal accounts as well as an account belonging to his company, P3 International.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is prosecuting Ishaku alongside Bello Yero, who served as Permanent Secretary of the Taraba State Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs. They face 15 counts involving allegations of conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and conversion of about ₦27bn belonging to the state and local governments. Both defendants have denied the allegations.

Jones testified that instructions on how to distribute some of the money came from Yero and other senior officials. He identified chief cashier John Columba and then-director of finance Babangida Hassan among officials from whom he said he received such directions.

Giving an example, Jones said ₦7m was paid into one of his accounts by Abdullahi Yunusa on November 1, 2019. According to his testimony, he was subsequently instructed to transfer ₦4m to Prince Onwuzurike, ₦2m to a person identified as Musa and ₦1m to an account described as belonging to Yunusa A.

He also told the court that another ₦3.5m arrived from a sender he did not know. Jones said he was later directed to hand that amount to Hassan. He maintained that this particular payment did not originate from the local governments.

Jones said one of the personal accounts involved had been opened for him during his National Youth Service Corps year. He also explained that his company, P3 International, was originally used for his farming activities before he joined the civil service as an assistant cashier in the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

During the proceedings, Jones said payments made to emirs, chiefs and local government workers were supported by sub-receipts. However, he testified that some instructions from Yero and other officials on how money should be distributed were given orally and were not accompanied by physical vouchers.

Jones had previously told the court that his company account received local government funds, including ₦1.8bn which he said entered the account on Yero's instruction before being distributed to other recipients.

Two earlier prosecution witnesses, Dare Lawal and Prince Onwuzurike, have also testified about transactions the EFCC says form part of its case against Ishaku and Yero.

Justice Slyvanus Oriji adjourned the trial until October 21, when Jones is expected to face cross-examination.