The Independent Corrupt Practice and other related
offences Commission (ICPC) has asked Lai Mohammed, a former minister of
information, to appear at a federal high court in Abuja over an alleged N2.5
billion fraud case involving the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).
ICPC is prosecuting Ishaq Kawu, NBC director-general,
over “abuse of office and money laundering”.
The commission had filed a 12-count charge against
Kawu, Lucky Omoluwa and Dipo Onifade, chairman of Pinnacle Communications
Limited respectively.
In a statement on Thursday, the anti-graft agency said
Mohammed was invited to explain his role after it conducted a probe.
“A government White Paper that governs the execution
of the DSO programme was allegedly flouted by the head of NBC,” the statement
read.
“Mohammed had however admitted in a statement to the
Commission that he was misled by Kawu, as opined in court by a witness from
ICPC, Osanato Olugbemi.
“Olugbemi, led in evidence by counsel to ICPC, Henry
Emore, also told the court that the payment of N2.5 billion from NBC to
Pinnacle Communications Limited, as seed grant was suspicious because ICPC
found out through its investigations that only government owned company was
approved to benefit from the grant according to the White Paper.”
Citing a minute of an emergency NBC meeting, ICPC said
it gathered that the final payment to the company was shrouded in secrecy.
The anti-graft agency said Olugbemi also told the
court that 47 suspicious transactions were originated by the chairman of
Pinnacle Communications after the receipt of the funds on June 2, 2017.
“The transactions includes payments of N363 million to
one Idowu Olatunde, N274.4 million to one James Segun and N127 million to Dipo
Onifade, the Chief Operating Officer of the company,” the statement read.
“He informed the court that Omoluwa refused to
explained the reasons for the payments to Olatunde and James when asked by
ICPC, but Onifade explained that he received the N127 million as legal fees he
rendered to Pinnacle Communications Limited.
“A Bureau de Change operator, Salisu Mamman Daura, who
also testified in court, said he received N167 million in two installments of
N97 million and N70 million respectively, from Pinnacle Communications
Limited.”
CULLED FROM THE CABLE
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