N109bn Fraud’: EFCC Denies Promising Ex-AGF Idris Soft Landing to Indict Buhari’s Finance Minister
A detective from the EFCC has refuted claims that he promised the former Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, leniency in exchange for implicating former Finance Minister, Zainab Ahmed, in an alleged N109 billion fraud case.
The detective, Mahmud Tukur, denied making any such promise during his testimony in court on Wednesday.
EFCC detective Mahmud Tukur testified against the former AGF, Ahmed Idris, who is facing a 14-count charge of fraud totaling N109,485,572,691. The trial began in July 2022 in the Federal Capital Territory High Court.
Idris is facing charges alongside his co-defendants, Godfrey Olusegun Akindele, Mohammed Kudu Usman, and Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited.
Led in evidence by EFCC counsel, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, Tukur insisted that all the 13 statements involving Idris and his lawyers were voluntarily made.
The detective said the ex-AGF was interviewed in the presence of his lawyers before filling out 11 statements at different times.
Tukur added that 2 out of the 13 confessional statements were volunteered willingly and that Idris decided to fill out the two documents on his own.
“He (Idris) signed on the back of the page of the statement sheets, and it was witnessed by Barrister Haruna Isa. The statement of May 21, 2022, was written by Idris.
“The statement of July 5, 2022, was made by the first defendant in the presence of Mr Gbenga Adeyemi. He was cautioned, and interviewed before he volunteered statements.”
Recall that the ex-AGF and two others are standing trial on charges bordering on gratification, stealing, and criminal breach of trust.
He was specifically accused of using public funds to purchase properties across Nigeria, but he pleaded not guilty.
On Feb 1, 2024, the former AGF’s lawyer, Uche, alleged that the EFCC deceived his client to make indicting statements under duress.
The allegation paused the main trial and paved the way for trial within the trial.
A trial within the trial is a situation where lawyers will prove if a statement was voluntarily obtained by the prosecution.
