The trial of a former Commander of the Military Joint Task Force, operation Pulo Shield in the Niger Delta, Maj. Gen. Emmanuel Atewe and three others over alleged N8.5 billion fraud continued on Wednesday at a Federal High Court in Lagos.
A prosecution witness narrated how Atewe transferred the sum of N35 million out of the alleged looted fund to the Living Faith Church, popularly known as Winners’ Chapel. An investigative officer with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Adamu Usman Yusuf, told Justice Ayokunle Faji, that the defendant authorized the transfer of the fund to the church. While being examined by EFCC’s lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, the witness said the money was a gift to the church.
“The second defendant (Atewe) authorized the transfer of N35 million in three tranches of N10 million, N10 million and N15 million to the Living Faith Church Worldwide. The money was a gift given to the church by the second defendant”, the witness said. Yusuf further disclosed that investigations revealed that Atewe bought a house in Port Harcourt for N297 million and that on 20th May, 2015, N280 million was transferred to a firm, Cisconobots Ltd, as part payment for the property. He said: “In the course of our investigation, we requested for the account of Cisconobots Ltd and we placed a no debit order on the account.
“The account owner, Mr. Olusanya, reported to our office and he told us that the second defendant bought his house. “While investigation was on-going, the title document of the property and the sum of N280 million were recovered from Mr. Olusanya and his property was returned to him. We also saw documents pertaining to the purchase of the property. The documents were submitted to EFCC by Mr. Olusanya”.