A witness Mrs. Annet Gyen who was Head of Operations at Fidelity Bank, Jos Branch in 2015 has told the Jos Federal High Court how she paid the sum of N450 million to former Minister of Water Resources Mrs. Sarah Reng Ochekpe, former Acting Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau state, Raymond Dabo and the state campaign coordinator of Goodluck Jonathan, Leo-Sunday Jitong.
It will be recalled that in a suit FHC/J/141C/2017, Ochekpe and two others were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before the Jos Federal High Court on a two-count charge bordering on money laundering and conspiracy amounting to the sum of N450 million.
During today’s sitting, Gyen now Branch Manager, Fidelity Bank, Benue State University and a witness to EFCC told the court that the accused persons came to their bank in Jos in 2015 and withdraw the sum of N450m.
“I have received a mail from our head office in Lagos ordering me that beneficiaries identified as Sarah Ochekpe, Raymond Dabo and Evangelist Leo-Jitong would come to our bank and make a withdrawal of N450m,
“We don’t have the money in our branch, that makes me to go to CBN Jos branch, and after due process I collected the sum of N450 million and took the cash to my bank. The beneficiaries came to my bank to collect the money.” She said.
Gyen added that she verified the beneficiaries through a valid means of identification before paying them the money.
“Sarah presented her ID card of Federal Ministry of Water Resources, while Raymond Dabo presented Voters Card and Evangelist Leo presented Driver’s License. And I gave them withdrawal instrument which requires them to write their name, signature and phone numbers.”
She said that after due process of withdrawal was followed, she paid the money to the accused persons.
During the cross examination, the counsel to the defendants, Sunday Oyawole urged the court to dismissed the evidence tendered by the witness, saying she wasn’t a maker of the said documents concerning the withdrawal.
The presiding judge Musa Kurya however adjourned the case to 17th and 18th May, 2018 for ruling and continuation of hearing.