News Investigators/ Mustapha Lamido, son of former Gov. Sule Lamido of Jigawa, on Tuesday, denied the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s allegations of bribery and gratification against himself, his father and others.
Mr Mustapha, who is the 3rd defendant, denied the allegations before Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court in Abuja while testifying as 5th defence witness (DW-5).
The EFCC is prosecuting the ex-governor (1st defendant), his two sons – Aminu and Mustapha who are 2nd and 3rd defendants on alleged money laundering to the tune of N1. 35 billion.
Others named in the case are Aminu Abubakar, Bamaina Company Nigeria Ltd, Bamaina Aluminium Ltd, Speeds International Ltd and Batholomew Darlington Agoha as 4th to 8th defendants respectively.
The EFCC, in the 37-count charge, among others, accused Lamido of abusing his position as governor between 2007 and 2015.
He was alleged to have laundered sums of money received as kickbacks from companies that were awarded contracts by the Jigawa State Government under his leadership.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to all the counts.
Mr Mustapha, while being led in evidence by the defence lawyer, Joe Agi, SAN, on Tuesday, told the court that the allegations in counts one to 37 were untrue.
The DW-5 said all the contracts awarded by Dantata and Sawoe Construction Company to their companies were duly executed and paid for.
Mr Mustapha deneid that the several millions of naira mentioned in each of the counts were indirectly paid as bribery and gratification to Lamido, who was governor at the time.
He said though his father is a director in the companies, he manages them without the ex-govenor’s interference.
He said he bidded for the sub-contracts with Dantata and Sawoe to supply bitumen, diesel, among others, and that the contracts were executed without his father’s contribution.
When Agi took the DW-5 through each of the counts in the charge, he debunked all the allegations.
“Was it the 1st defendant (Sule Lamido) who asked you to supply products to Dantata and Sawoe,” the lawyer asked.
“No my Lord. I have been a businessman all my life,” Mustapha responded.
He told the court that he started car sales when he was in university in 2002.
According to him, he borrowed N1 million from his father to start the business.
“Speeds International Ltd that I run, I sell cars. I took night bus from Kano to Lagos without my father’s knowledge then to Birnin Republic to purchase cars,” he said.
He said his father introduced him to the late Alhaji Aminu Dantata before he became the governor of Jigawa.
When he was asked if he was the only supplier to Dantata and Sawoe, he responded in the negative.
He insisted that all the sub-contracts done with Dantata were legitimate and genuine.
Earlier, Mustapha, who said he lives in Kano, said he supplies goods and services, including petroleum products.
When Agi asked him if he knew the defendants, Mustapha said: “Yes, the 1st defendant is my beloved father.
“The 2nd defendant (Aminu) is my elder brother. The 4th defendant is a family friend,” he said.
He also said that the three companies- Bamaina Company Nigeria Ltd, Bamaina Aluminium Ltd and Speeds International Ltd are family companies while Agoha (8th defendant) is a manager of all the companies.
He said Bamaina Company Nigeria Ltd was incorporated around 1984, and that after the company was incorporated, they started dealing in petroleum products.
When the lawyer asked him if he had documents to back the petroleum business, he responded in affirmative.
“Yes, we have but during post-election violence in 2011 in Kano State, some hoodlums launched an attack on our head office; Bamaina Nigeria Ltd and Bamaina Aluminium Ltd.
“The office was burnt down, and most of the documents were lost,” he said.
Mustapha, however, said that there are police extract, court affidavit where the companies were listed, report of the post-election violence and items listed, including the report of compensation by the Kano State government, as proof.
Justice Ojukwu admitted the documents in evidence because there was no objection by the prosecution lawyer, Chile Okoroma, SAN.
When Agi asked Mustapha if efforts had been made to get new documents, he said: “I had to go to my father’s archive in my village to get the photocopies.”
He said approval was gotten by his father to construct a filling station on Dec. 20, 1984 at Bamaina Village in Birnin Kudu LGA then.
Different documents were sought to be tendered by Agi but Okoroma prayed the court to reject some of the documents, including a Directorate of Fire Service letter to Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Conoil letter to DPR, Bamaina’s letter to DPR, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) Permit and car sale agreement.
The judge, in a ruling, held that the defence had certified the provision of the law since the documents sought to be tendered were original copies.
She, therefore, admitted them in evidence and marked them as Exhibits 84, 85, 86, 87 and 88 respectively.
After Mustapha was cross-examined by the EFCC lawyer, the defence closed their case.
Justice Ojukwu consequently adjourned the matter until Jan. 12 for adoption of final written addresses.
NAN
