The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Thursday tendered documents against the daughter of a former Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika, and his son-in-law in an Abuja High Court.
The documents confirmed that they are currently employees of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPCL) and Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), respectively.
Mr Sirika, alongside his daughter, Ms Fatima, and son-in-law, Hamma Jalal Sule, and Al-Buraq Investment Limited, are charged with N2.7 billion fraud before Justice Sylvanus Oriji.
Mr Sirika, the EFCC alleged, abused his office as minister by conferring unfair advantage on Al Buraq Global Investment Limited, whose alter ego are his daughter and son-in-law, by using his position to influence the award of the contract for the apron extension at Katsina Airport for the sum of N1.4 billion.
This, the prosecution stated, is contrary to the provisions of Sections 12 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 and Section 17(b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004, as well as Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532 Acts of the Federal Capital Territory, and punishable under the same sections.
The minister had pleaded not guilty to the charge.
At the resumed hearing, the prosecution presented its 10th and 11th witnesses (PW10 and PW11) to prove that both second and third defendants are currently on the staff list of both NNPCL and NUPRC, respectively.
Testifying, the PW10, Gabriel Adaba, told the court while being led in his evidence by the prosecuting counsel, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, that Sule was employed as a Regulatory Officer 1 on Grade Level 9 by the NUPRC on February 3, 2023.
Mr Adaba, who is NUPRC’s Head of Licensing and Permit, told the court that as of the time of Mr Sule’s employment by the commission, he (PW10) was the Head of Human Resources in the agency.
He said that on March 14, 2024, the EFCC requested the NUPRC to furnish it with Mr Sule’s employment records.
“As head of human resources, it was my responsibility to appear before the commission to do that. On that day, I was at EFCC to submit his (Sule’s) employment records,” he said.
He added that prior to his employment by the NUPRC, Mr Sule had worked with the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Agency (NNRA).
Under cross-examination by counsel for Mr Sirika and Al Buraq, Michael Numa SAN, Mr Adaba told the court that NUPRC did background checks on Mr Sule in line with its human resources practices.
He, however, said the commission did not investigate individual employee’s private life including their private holdings.
The witness further told the court that Mr Sule was confirmed as a staff member of NUPRC on March 5, 2024, one year after his employment by the commission.
He added that he was not aware if Al Buraq was awarded any contracts by the commission.
While being cross-examined by both counsel for Ms Fatima and Mr Sule, Efut Okoi and Sunusi Musa SAN, respectively, the PW10 told the court that there were no records that Mr Sule was found wanting at NNRA.
On his part, the PW11, the Deputy Manager of Policy Compliance and Accountability with the NNPCL, Abidoye Babatunde, told the court that in 2024 the EFCC requested information on Mr Sirika’s daughter, Ms Fatima.
He said that the company obliged the anti-graft agency with the request and forwarded the information requested with a covering letter.
According to the witness, Ms Fatima was employed as a graduate trainee on February 14, 2020, by NNPCL.
He added that her employment was confirmed on May 4, 2021, adding that she was promoted to the next grade level on January 1, 2023.
Under cross-examination, the PW11 told the court that EFCC invited Ms Fatima through the NNPCL.
He added that he was not told what she was being investigated for when he submitted the information demanded by the commission as the acting deputy manager of employee compensation and performance.
The witness said that he was not privy to any of her private holdings outside NNPCL, adding that the second defendant could not have been confirmed by NNPCL if she had not suitably performed.
After their testimonies, Justice Oriji adjourned until June 30 for the continuation of the hearing.
(NAN)
