From Matthew Irinoye, Lagos
An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) prosecution witness, Effong Okim, in the on- going trial of the three oil marketers alleged of N1.2billion subsidy fraud yesterday contradicted himself before a Lagos High Court.
The witness, also the team leader of Team (C) who investigated the matter had earlier told the court, presided over by Justice Lateefat Okunnu, while giving evidence, that he only took part in taking the evidence of the first defendant and nothing more.
But at the resumed hearing of the matter on Tuesday, while being cross- examined by the counsel to the first defendant, Olanrewaju Ajanaku, the witness, however, reversed himself by admitted that he personally took the statements from Opeyemi Ajuyah, Arisekola Alao, and Olanrewaju Olalusi together with his team.
“I cautioned the defendants when they came to our office and I took their statements alongside with members of my team,” Okim affirmed.
When asked if he was subjected to make deeper investigation on the matter, Okim told the court that after he concluded the investigation he forwarded the file to the legal department of the commission and that there was no memo written to him to make further investigation on the matter.
It would be recalled that Ajuwah, along her company, Majope Investment Limited Abdullahi Alao, son of the Ibadan Islamic cleric, Arisekola Alao, Axenergy Limited and Olanrewaju Olalusi were dragged before the court for alleged N1.2bilion subsidy fraud.
The matter was however, adjourned to May 26, 2014 for the continuation of trial.
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