The judge adjourned the case after two official of Zenith Bank Plc, Teslim Ajuwon and Mrs Shedlis Gana gave evidence in the case.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had re-arraigned Fani-Kayode and Senator Nenadi Usman and one Danjuma Yusuf and a company, Joint Trust Dimensions Limited before Justice Aikawa on a 17 count charge of conspiracy, unlawful retention of proceeds of theft and money laundering.
According to the EFC the accused persons on or before January 2015, unlawfully retained the total sum of N4.6 billion, which they knew was a proceeds from an unlawful act.
While Usman, former Minister of Finance, under president Goodluck Jonathan Administration, Danjuma Yusuf and Jointrust Dimentions Nigeria Limited retained the sum of N1.5 billion, Fani-kayode and Olubode Oke, said to be at large, were accused of retained the total sum of N1,650,650 billion.
The accused persons were also alleged to have made payment of several amounts running to billions of Naira without going through Financial institutions.
The offence which was allegedly committed between January 2015 and March 2015 is contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) & 4 of the same Act.
They all pleaded not guilty to the charge.
At the resumed hearing of the case on Thursday, Ajuwon told the court how N250 million was transferred into an ex-minister’s account from a company.
Also during the proceedings, counsel to the third and fourth accused, Clement Onwuenwuno cross-examined Ajuwon.
Onwuenwunor asked the witness if he made any statement at EFCC and he responded in the negative.
Onwuenwunor: Before your bank’s letter to the EFCC in February 2016, did your bank raise any query on the account of the fourth accused?
Witness: I am not sure.
Onwuenwunor: Who is a signatory to the fourth accused bank account (exhibit eight)?
Witness: Mr Yusuf Danjuma, the third accused.
Onwuenwunor: In your bank, is it wrong for the third accused to instruct transfer of money to any person?
Witness: It is his mandate.
No re-examination was taken, and the PW2 was discharged.
The EFCC prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, called the third witness, Mrs Shedlis Gana, who swore on the Holy Bible before proceeding to give her testimony.
Gana told the court that she was the branch manager of the Ghana Street branch of the Bank, where the second and fourth accused’s accounts are domiciled.
When asked if she knew all the accused, she responded in the affirmative for the accused persons, except the third accused.
Oyedepo: How do you know the second accused?
Witness: He is a former minister and an account officer in my branch, Gloria Chibuikem, opened a personal account for the second accused.
The witness, being directed by the EFCC prosecutor, proceeded to identify instruction letters sent by the accused to the bank for funds transfer to some other accounts.
Gana further matched the debit instruction letters received from the second accused with entries made in Exhibit 7 (second accused’s statement of account).
The witness identified a N250 million debit instruction from Join-trust Dimensions Nigeria Ltd. to credit another account.
Oyedepo: Whose account was credited with that N250 million from Join-trust Dimensions Nigeria Ltd. account?
Witness: Second accused.
