A prosecution witness in the trial of former Taraba State Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku and a former Permanent Secretary in the state’s Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Bello Yero, has told a Federal Capital Territory High Court how funds allegedly meant for local governments were transferred into a private company’s account and subsequently withdrawn.
The witness, Taiwo Johns, a director of P3 Cornerstone, gave the testimony on Monday before Justice S.C. Oriji in Abuja during the ongoing trial over an alleged N27 billion fraud.
Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, Johns said several sums described as Federal Government subventions were paid by local governments into P3 Cornerstone’s account.
He told the court that after receiving the funds, he reported the transactions to officials of the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and was instructed on several occasions to withdraw the money or transfer portions to designated accounts.
Johns said on October 11, 2019, Yoro Local Government paid N50 million into P3 Cornerstone’s account.
According to him, he reported the transaction to the Permanent Secretary and was instructed to withdraw the money.
“On the same day the amount was reported to the Perm Sec, they asked me to make a withdrawal of the amount, which I did, and the Perm Sec came to the bank. I handed it to the Perm Sec and Dare Lawal,” he told the court.
The witness also testified about another transaction involving N58.5 million, which he said was deposited into the company’s account and reported to the Permanent Secretary and Babangida Hassan, the Director of Finance.
He further referred to Exhibit 11, which he said contained a N64.95 million cheque from Gassol Local Government dated November 5, 2019.
Johns said N1.45 million was transferred to P3 Cornerstone on the same day and subsequently paid into an emirate and traditional council account used for salaries, allowances and medical expenses of emirs and chiefs.
He also narrated transactions involving Ardo Kola and Gassol local governments.
“There is a manager’s cheque of Ardo Kola Local Government on November 28, 2019, of N55m. On the same date, N62m entered P3 Cornerstone from Gassol Local Government,” he said.
According to him, N50 million from the Gassol transaction was withdrawn and handed over to the Permanent Secretary at a UBA branch, while N5.6 million was transferred to an individual identified as Prince.
Johns also told the court that on December 2, 2019, Gassol Local Government paid N17.37 million and N13.12 million into P3 Cornerstone’s account.
He said he reported the transactions to the Director of Finance, who instructed him to withdraw the combined N30.49 million.
“I handed it over to the Director of Finance and Dare Lawal,” he said, adding that the money was handed over to the Permanent Secretary and Lawal on the Permanent Secretary’s instruction.
The witness further testified about transactions involving P3 Cornerstone in March and September 2020.
He said the company received several payments, including N11.35 million, N75 million and N2.5 million on March 23, 2020, while additional sums were received the following day.
Johns also told the court that on September 14, 2020, P3 Cornerstone received N39.99 million from one transaction, another N39.99 million from Zing Local Government and N7.85 million from Yoro Local Government.
He said the funds were subsequently withdrawn and handed over to the Permanent Secretary, while some amounts were transferred to an individual identified as Prince.
However, the witness told the court that he did not know the specific purposes for which the government subventions were meant.
Following his testimony, Jacobs tendered additional documents, which were admitted in evidence and marked as Exhibits 13, 14 and 15.
Justice Oriji adjourned the case until Tuesday, October 6, 2026, for continuation of Johns’ evidence.
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