The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Monday opened its case of alleged N2.6 billion fraud against former Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika, and three others in a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama.
The EFCC charged Sirika, his daughter Fatima, Jalal Sule Hamma, and Al-Duraq Investment Limited with abuse of office and contract fraud. They face trial before Justice Sylvanus Oriji on six counts.
During the hearing, Azubuike Okorie, a subpoenaed witness for the EFCC, testified as the first witness. Okorie, a retired staff member of the Federal Ministry of Aviation and former Director of Procurement and Special Assistant to the Honorable Minister for Projects (2022-2023), served as Chairman of the Project Implementation Committee.
When led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, Okorie described his role in monitoring and evaluating projects. “The Project Implementation Committee ensures the execution of projects,” he stated.
Regarding the contract with Al-Duraq Global Investment, he clarified, “I was not involved in contracts and my committee is also not involved in awarding contracts.”
Okorie explained how he obtained the exhibit tagged “List, 2021 Projects,” saying, “These documents were the ones the then Minister asked me to send to the Permanent Secretary and I did that by making photocopies. Let me answer it this way, these documents were given to me. I was not there when he wrote on it, but I will assume it is the minister (Sirika) who wrote in red pen because only ministers write in red pen.”
He noted seeing N800 million allocated to Al-Duraq Global Investment Limited for Apron Expansion and confirmed that the contract was awarded to the company. He added that the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria the user’s agency, would have secured the land before awarding the contract.
“Well, the team of the Project Implementation Committee came in contact with Al-Duraq in Katsina when we went for project monitoring and implementation at Katsina airport. When we got there, because we had a list of other contractors who were supposed to be on ground including Al-Duraq, we did not find any of them on site then,” Okorie said.
He further testified that as of his retirement on May 23, 2023, the contract had not been executed to his knowledge. When asked if he knew about a 100 percent payment made to the fourth defendant before he left office, he responded that he was only aware of a 30 percent mobilisation fee paid to them. “As Chairman of the Project Implementation Committee, I was not involved in payments. As a former director, what I know is that payments were made in stages,” he said.
The prosecution counsel, Jacobs, concluded his examination of the witness.
Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, counsel for Sirika (1st defendant), informed the court that he had just received the papers and needed time to review them. “I beg let’s come back tomorrow,” he requested. Mahmoud Magaji, SAN, for Fatima (2nd defendant), and Michael Numa, SAN, for Al-Duraq Investment, supported his request.
Jacobs did not object to their request, and Justice Oriji adjourned the trial until Tuesday for cross-examination and continuation.
