
A former Minister of Power, Dr. Olu Agunloye, was yesterday re-arraigned earlier than a Excessive Courtroom of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Apo on a seven-count amended cost the modification made by the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee (EFCC) filed in opposition to him.
Agunloye pleaded not responsible when the cost bordering on forgery, disobedience of a presidential order and corruption on the three,960 megawatts (MW) Mambilla Hydroelectric Energy Station in Taraba State, was learn to him by a court docket official.
The prosecution alleged, amongst others, that the previous minister obtained N5.212 million from Dawn Energy and Transmission Firm Restricted (SPTCL) and Leno Adesanya via Jide Abiodun Sotinrin.
The cash was allegedly paid into Agunloye’s Warranty Belief Checking account for conveying the Federal Authorities’s approval for the development of the facility station in favour of SPTCL whereas serving as minister.
Testifying yesterday, the second prosecution witness (PW2), Adewale Agunbiade, a Compliance Officer with Jaiz Financial institution Plc (previously with GTBank), stated he neither knew the defendant personally nor had any particular curiosity within the case.
Agunbiade stated regardless of having left GTBank, he was not shocked when the EFCC invited him in Could 2023 to put in writing an announcement on the case.
The witness, who was cross-examined by defence lawyer Aseola Adedipe (SAN), stated when he knowledgeable the EFCC that he had left GTBank, he was advised that it didn’t matter since he ready the paperwork on the court docket’s proceedings.
He confirmed the financial institution assertion of Jide Abiodun Sotinrin, who paid cash into Agunloye’s account on August 10, 2019, October 22, 2019, and November 13, 2019.
Agunbiade stated the transactions have been about people’ transfers, explaining that the switch of cash was from one particular person buyer of GTBank to a different particular person buyer of the identical financial institution.
The witness defined that the switch of N3.6 million by Sotinrin to Agunloye’s account didn’t reference that it was made on behalf of both Leno Adesanya or Dawn Energy and Transmission Restricted.