A prosecution witness, Abubakar Umar, has testified before the Federal High Court in Abuja, revealing how he converted ₦3.1 billion into $15.8 million and delivered the cash to former Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam, at his residence in Maitama, Abuja.
The revelation was made during the ongoing trial of Suswam, who faces charges of money laundering linked to the misappropriation of proceeds from the sale of Benue State’s shares.
Umar, a bureau de change operator and CEO of Fanffash Resources, stated that in 2014, Suswam directed the transfer of the funds to his account in multiple tranches.
The funds were then converted to US dollars and delivered to the former governor.
The trial, which has been ongoing since 2018, resumed under Justice Peter Lifu at the Federal High Court, Maitama.
Suswam, alongside his former Commissioner of Finance, Omodachi Okolobia, is facing an 11-count amended charge of laundering ₦3.1 billion, allegedly part of the proceeds from the sale of state government shares held by the Benue Investment and Property Company Limited.
During the proceedings, Umar explained that the first payment of ₦413 million was transferred to his Zenith Bank account on August 8, 2014, by a proxy for the former governor.
Subsequent payments followed, bringing the total amount to ₦3.1 billion.
“One day in 2014, the former governor asked me to meet him at his residence in Maitama. When I got there, I met him with a woman, who requested my account number.
“ On August 8, ₦413 million was deposited in my account. Suswam instructed me to convert the money to dollars, which I did at the exchange rate of ₦197 to a dollar,” Umar said while being led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN.
Umar further narrated how he personally delivered the dollar equivalent, amounting to $15.8 million, to Suswam at his Maitama residence.
According to his testimony, the payments were made in five tranches, including one as high as ₦1.068 billion.
The witness confirmed that he delivered the converted funds to Suswam at various times, usually informing the governor ahead of his arrival to ensure security clearance at the residence.
He disclosed that all transactions were carried out without receipts or formal records, relying instead on discretion and transactions with fellow bureau de change operators.
Umar clarified that his testimony was not coerced by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), nor was he threatened to give evidence against the defendant.
He emphasized that he voluntarily provided the information.
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