Court Fixes 7th ,8th & 9th To Resume Trial Of Provost Of The Federal School Of Medical Laboratory Technology, Jos And Others
Yakubu Busari
The fraud case of the Provost of the Federal School of Medical Laboratory Technology, Jos, FSMLT, Dr. Nkereuwem Sunday-Etukudo, and four others are standing trial of alleged money laundry to the tune of N359m before Plateau State High Court sitting in Jos Division on Thursday adjourned to the 7th,8th and 9th December 2021 of fraud by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission , EFCC , for witness trial within the trial of the 3rd& 4th accused persons.
Justice Christy Dabup of State High Court No 3 after listening to the application presents evidence against
It would be recalled that the EFCC had arraigned Sunday-Etukudo and Messrs Yusuf Samuel (Accountant), Ernest Demtoe (Secretary of Tenders Board), Goodluck Echewa, and Asio Udoh (both contractors of the school) on a 15-count charge of conspiracy and diversion of the school’s funds to the tune of N359 Million between 2008 and 2013.
The prosecution counsel, Barr Samuel told the court that the matter was slated for trial within the trial of the 3rd &4 the accused persons and he has three witnesses in court two coming from Lagos one in Abuja which is subject to the convenience of my lordship.
However, in a switch reaction to the motion counsel to the 3rd defendant Barr,Mrs. G.M.Okoye objected to the motion that they are not ready for the interest of justice, she is just coming into the matter and a file was handed over to her without documents to guide the proceedings.
We discovered that the client was involved and we just came on board so we have applied for records of proceedings and we are yet to receive.
In line with the ethics of practice within and the defendant is asking for a date to put their house in order, my Lord.
Barr S.S.Obende counsel to the 4th defendant said they were actually served on before the strike by the JUSUN which hinder so proceedings.
In his submission, the witness informed the court presided over by Justice, Christiane Dabub, disclosed that all the three companies involved in the contract scam belong to the FSMLT provost and he is a signatory to their bank accounts.
According to him, in the exhibit J8 document, investigations showed that after money was paid into Makato Construction Company Limited’s bank account which allegedly belongs to the 5th defendant, the sum of N19m was later transferred into the Provost’s personal account on October 8, 2008.
He added that in exhibit J9, investigations showed that in 2008, when the contract sum of N47m was paid into M.S Batuta Company Limited’s bank account, the account was debited with N34m in favor of Dr. Sunday-Etukudo.
Mr. Salawu said: ”My Lord, my investigations revealed that on December 10, 2008, Federal School of Medical Laboratory Technology (FSMLT), paid in N24.3 million into First Bank account of Yahusa Associate Ltd, but on December 16, 2008, N10 million was transferred into the account of the provost in Access Bank.
“The amount was meant for the purchase of two 32-seater Toyota buses for the FSMLT.
“Before that transfer of N24.3 million, Yahusa Associate Ltd’s account had only a balance of N398.33 only as could be seen on this exhibit, P24, being bank statement of the contractor, Yahusa Associate Ltd,” Mr. Salawu said.
He also seeks to tender documents containing written statements of the defendants and having tendered that of the 1st and 2nd which were admitted, counsel
The EFCC counsel sought for an adjournment to enable him to present the officers that took the statements of the accused persons.
Justice Chretien Dabub adjourned the matter to 7,8,9 DEC,2021
