http://www.tribune.com.ng/index.php/front-page-news/4680-n238m-scam-bank-documents-indicted-ogbulafor-others-icpc

N238M SCAM: Bank documents indicted Ogbulafor, others – ICPC

Written by Lanre Adewole

BANK documents allegedly detailing the deposits made for the embattled National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Vincent Ogbulafor and four others are now reportedly in the hands of the prosecuting Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), which it said would be used as evidence in the N238 million corruption trial starting on Monday next week.

In the proof of evidence filed by the commission, unnamed managers of Zenith, Wema, Bank PHB and Ecobank were listed as witnesses against the accused by the commission.

The commission said that an unnamed manager/official of the Zenith Bank “would tender into evidence all financial instruments and records of Mr.

Emmanuel Okocha, as they relate to cheques issued by Emeka Ebilah and the payments made to Mr. B.C. Bosah. He would also tender into evidence the bank records of the 1st accused (Ogbulafor), showing lodgements from the money paid to the 1st accused by the 2nd accused.

“All other relevant documents including the mandate card of the 1st accused (Ogbulafor) would be tendered through him.”

The commission added that “Furthermore, all transactions with his bank as they relate to the different charges against the various accused would be tendered through this witness.”

Ogbulafor is the first accused in the charge sheet, Emeka Ebilah, second, Henry Ikoh, third, Jude Nwokoro, fourth and Emmanuel C. Bosah, the fifth accused.

The commission added that an unnamed representative of Ecobank Nigeria Plc “would tender into evidence all relevant financial records of the defunct Africa International Bank (AIB), which was used by the accused to clear cheques, received from the FGN as payment for the fictitious contracts. He would further testify that Ecobank Plc has taken over the defunct AIB Plc and explain the process employed by Ecobank Plc in the of recovery of records of customers of the Defunct AIB. All financial records of the 2nd accused relating to this charge would be tendered through this witness”.

Another witness, Emmanuel Okocha, according to the commission “would testify that he is a refrigerator and air conditioner technician and a Director of Emotech Nig. Ltd. He would further testify to the existence of a relationship between him and the 5th accused, Emmanuel Bosah and would present evidence of such relationship. Furthermore, he would testify that the 5th accused approached him with a business proposal that the two of them could venture into and later brought two cheques of N15 million and N29 million to him in the name of Emotech Nig. Ltd for him to clear for him. He would also testify that he paid these cheques into his account and upon instructions of the 5th accused; he paid the money cleared from the cheques into a fixed deposit account and gave the interest accrued on the principal to the 5th accused.”

The statement of proof added that the witness would further “testify that the 5th accused instructed him to pay in some money into two accounts with Wema Bank PLC, Lagos and Zenith Bank PLC, Surulere branch, Lagos, which he did and soon thereafter, he was asked to pay some more money into an account with Equatorial Trust Bank PLC, Victoria Island branch. The 5th accused went to him and said he was not interested in the business any longer and wanted the balance of the N 44 million and this he gave back to the 4th accused. This witness would identify all bank statements and cheques relating to the charges affecting the 4th Accused Person”.

Colonel Austin Akubundu, also a witness lined up by the commission, according to the statement of proof, “would testify to the relationship between him and the 2nd accused, Emeka Ebilah, and that sometime in November 2001, the 2nd accused brought the 3rd accused, Jude Nwokoro, to him to intervene in a dispute they were having relating to the fact that the 3rd accused had gone to Abuja to collect a cheque on behalf of the 2nd accused, which was in favour of Henchiriko Nig LTD and that the quarrel arose from the fact that despite collecting the said cheque and handing it over to the 2nd accused, the 2nd accused refused to pay him for his part in defrauding the Federal Government.”

The commission added that “He would further testify that the 2nd accused pleaded with him to pay the 3rd accused the sum of N5 million to settle the issue and that he obliged him and issued a cheque in favour of the 3rd accused for N5 million on behalf of the 2nd accused.

“This witness would identify his bank statement from Bank PHB and the cheque used in paying the 3rd accused on behalf of the 2nd accused .”

The commission has slammed a 16-count charge on the accused persons.

so much drama in d political scene these days