The Abuja Federal High Court judgment that convicted and jailed former Chairman, defunct Pension Reform Task Team Abdulrasheed Maina for six years was on Tuesday in Abuja admitted as exhibit against former Head of Service of the Federation, Stephen Oronsaye in the N2Bn alleged corruption charges brought against him by the federal government.
The judgment was tendered in evidence by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) in the on-going trial of Oronsaye on money laundering charges.
When trial kicked off, the prosecuting counsel, Oluwaleke Atolagbe tendered the judgment through Rukayat Ibrahim, the prosecution’s 20th witness in the ongoing trial.
Ibrahim, an operative of EFCC who had been giving her testimony in the trial in the last one year told the court that the commission had succeeded in convicting Maina and sentencing him to six years in prison for N2.7 billion pension fraud.
She said the money was in the pension fund and investigation revealed that the money was approved by Oronsaye.
Ibrahim added that Maina opened five fictitious accounts in a commercial bank and used them to siphon the money from the pension fund for his personal use.
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The witness also said that investigation revealed that on July 15, 2010, a sum of over N101 million was transferred to Oronsaye’s account.
According to her, when the commission asked for an explanation, Oronsaye gave an unclear explanation and brought a letter from the presidency that the money was sent to the presidency.
She further told the court that the letter did not represent transfer of the money.
Justice Inyang Ekwo however adjourned the matter till February 3 for cross examination of the witness.
Oronsaye is being tried, alongside others, for allegedly using inflated biometrics enrolment contracts, collective allowances and other schemes to siphon money from accounts in which pensioners funds were kept.
Editor: Hadiza.A.A
