Abdulrahman Arabo, the second prosecution witness (PW2) in the trial of Paul Usoro (SAN) over alleged N1.4bn fraud, has informed Justice Rilwan Aikawa of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, how the defendant received N1.1 billion from Akwa-Ibom State government.
Usoro is the immediate past President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
He was first arraigned on December 18, 2018, before Justice Muslim Hassan of the same court.
Usoro was later re-arraigned on March 1, 2019, on a 10-count charge on money laundering to the tune of N1.4billion.
According to the EFCC, Usoro, Governor Emmanuel Udom (currently immune against prosecution), and Uwemedimo Thomas Nwoko, Nsikan Linus Nkan – Commissioner of Finance, Mfon Jacobson Udomah – Accountant-General, Margaret Thompson Ukpe (all four at large), in 2015, conspired to divert N1,410, 000,000 state funds.
The offence was contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
Usoro pleaded “not guilty” to the charge.
Arabo, an EFCC investigator, told the prosecution counsel, U. U. Buhari, that the defendant failed to link the money found in his account to the cases he claimed was handed in courts for Akwa Ibom.
When asked by the defence counsel, O. E. B Effiong (SAN) if he received any letter Usoro addressed to EFCC Chairman stating the details and payment of the job he did for the State government, Arabo answered in the affirmative.
Arabo said there was an allegation “that the defendant was laundering money for the Akwa-Ibom State government, and the evidence showed that he received about N1.1billion between 2015 and 2016 from the state government”.
Court hearing on the case continues.