$15bn arms cash: I was instructed via piece of paper to pay Bello Mohammed N300m—witness

Haliru-Mohammed-Bello

A witness in the ongoing trial of Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed, a former National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Yazidu Ibrahim, a Staff Officer, Accounts, Office of the National Security
Adviser, yesterday, told the Federal High Court, Abuja, how he was instructed to pay N300 million to a company, BAM Projects and Properties Limited, owned by Bello. Bello, his son, Mohammed, and their company, Bam Project and Properties Limited, are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for allegedly receiving N300 million from the office of the former National Security Advi-ser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd).

At the resumed hearing yesterday, Ibrahim told Justice A. R. Mohammed that he received a written instruction on a piece of paper to prepare a payment mandate for BAM in the sum of N300 million. Led in evidence by Adebisi Adeniyi, who stood in for Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), Ibrahim further stated that the piece of paper had the account name, account number, amount and reason for payment (payment for safe houses). According to him, there were two signatories on the payment mandate: Mohammed Sambo Dasuki, a former National Security Adviser, and S.A. Salisu, Director, Finance and Administration. “After they have signed the paper, I would also sign before taking it to the bank (Central Bank of Nigeria),” he said. During cross-examination by counsel to the first defendant, Solomon Umoh (SAN), the witness told the court that he did not know if there was any contract between the defendants and office of the National Security Adviser, adding that “no documents for payments were made available, apart from the piece of paper sent to me.” The case was adjourned to June 1 for further cross-examination of the witness by counsel to the second and third defendants.