- A witness indicted the PDP national chairman and his predecessor in a corruption case involving an oil magnate, Jide Omokore
- The witness said Uche Secondus and Adamu Mu’azu collected 33 cars from the oil magnate
- He, however, said that he did not know if the vehicles were given as bribes
A witness, Olawale Oloyede, has said that the oil magnate, Jide Omokore gave current chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus and his predecessor Adamu Mu’azu cars in July, 2014.
Oloyede, an accountant with Skymit Motors Ltd, on Thursday, March 1, told a federal high court in Abuja that while Mu’azu got 23 assorted cars, Secondus was given 10 white Hilux Jeeps, Daily Trust reports.
Led in evidence by counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Rotimi Jacobs, NAIJ.com gathered that Oloyede said Omokore ordered for the vehicles to be supplied to the beneficiaries, wherein Mu’azu received two Hilux, five Landcruisers, two Camry, three Honda, four Avalon, Lexus G460 and Lexus LX 570, Benz S500 and Benz E200.
Besides acquiring several armoured vehicles valued at between N35m and N65m for himself, Omokore also reportedly shared car gifts to several other individuals and corporate organisations with market value of between N9m and N70m each.
Others who allegedly received car gifts include: SPOG, 15; Atlantic Energy, 19; Albert Bassey, 9 Hilux, Infinity QX56BP- N45m, N40m a Range Rover, Toyota Hiace High Roof-N27m; Toyota Hiace Mid Roof-N16m; Okey Ezenwa, Lexus LX570BP-N50; Tom Ikimi,Lexus 570 armoured- N55m; Nneka Briggs, Mercedes BenzS350-N23m; David Mbanefo, Mercedes Benz S550-N25m, among others.
Under cross examination by defence counsel R. A. Rabana-Lawal (SAN), Taye Oyetibo (SAN) and Osaro Eghobamien (SAN), Oloyede said some of the vehicles were purchased on credit sales.
The witness, however, stated that he did not know if the vehicles were given as bribes.
The EFCC accused Omokore, who is the managing director of Atlantic Energy Ltd, of breach of Strategic Alliance Agreement (SAA) with the federal government worth $1bn.
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The commission also indicted former petroleum minister, Diezani Allison-Madueke, who it claimed to be at large, but opposed her application in 2017 seeking to be tried in a Nigerian court.
Omokore is facing trial alongside former director of exploration NNPC, Abiye Membere; the former managing director, Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), Victor Briggs; Manager, Planning and Commercial of NNPC, David Mbanefo; Atlantic Energy Brass Development Limited, and Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Limited.
The trial will reportedly continue on Friday, March 2.
NAIJ.com previously reported that a federal high court on Wednesday, February 28, in Lagos ordered final forfeiture of two penthouses linked to a former minister of petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke.
Justice Mojisola Olatoregun on December 5, 2017, ordered an interim forfeiture of the properties after an ex parte (without notice) application, was argued by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
EFCC’s application, marked FHC/L/CS/1793c/17, has as respondents, Alison-Madueke, Donald Amagbo, Schillenburg LLC and Sequoyah Properties Ltd.
The luxury of corruption: What money can buy - on NAIJ.com TV:
Source: Naija.ng
