A defence witness, Philip Akolo, who was an orderly to former
Taraba governor, Jolly Nyame, on Tuesday told an FCT High
Court Gudu, that he never saw him receive N100m.
Akolo said this during cross examination by the EFCC
prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN).
Jacobs had said that former Taraba Government House
Accountant, Mr Abdurahman Mohammed, had testified that on
the eve of president Obasanjo’s visit to Taraba in April 2007, he
had taken N100million to Nyame.
The witness, who said he was always with the ex-governor,
denied seeing the accountant coming in with two bags of money
and giving it to the governor.
The witness, who is currently a Deputy Superintendent of Police
in Gombe Divisional Police Command, testified that as an
orderly to Nyame during his tenure, he was the closest to the
governor.
“It was not possible for anyone to see him without my
knowledge, no exceptional cases. When he goes to bed, I’ll
retire and leave the body guards to take over.’’
He also denied, upon cross examination, the testimony given by
prosecution witness no. 8, Mr Abdurahman Mohammed, that he
also took money in excess of N24million to Nyame in Abuja.
Akolo said, “apart from allowances which he signed on behalf
of the governor, “nothing was brought to the government house
in Abuja.’’
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He also denied that the then Permanent Secretary, Mr Dennis
Nev, ever brought money to Nyame, adding “apart from files he
normally carried he never saw, him with any other thing.’’
On his relationship with the former Taraba helmsman, the
witness said that his relationship “was official”.
He said throughout the eight years as an orderly to Nyame, he
was only conversant with the security aspect of his work and
not the administrative procedures.
“I don’t know about the finance of Taraba government house or
how the governor was being paid, apart from travelling
allowances.’’
He said he never knew if the governor requested for funds from
the Permanent Secretary nor the receipt of those funds.
He said the only time he was not with Nyame was when the ex-
governor travelled abroad.
He also said he was not a member of Taraba state executive
council nor did he attend their meetings, and was not privy to
their deliberations.
He, however admitted that he doesn’t know the people the
governor related with when he travelled outside the country.
”But if he does something against the law or the constitution, I
have no say in that because the law must take its course,’’
Akolo said.
Justice Adebukola Banjoko adjourned hearing in the until May
15.