The star prosecution witness in the ongoing N750 million fraud trial of Dr. Doyin Okupe by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), yesterday, told the court that the former presidential spokesman did not commit any crime by receiving payments for his office.
The prosecution witness, Alhaji Shuaibu Salisu, who is the Director of Finance and Admin in the office of the National Security Adviser, told a Federal High Court, Abuja, under cross-examination that he made monthly payments of N10 million to the office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media for ‘special services’ from the budget of the office of National Security Adviser (NSA).
Salisu, who admitted that the payments were not made directly to Dr. Okupe also added that the former presidential spokesman committed no crime by receiving the payments.
He admitted that the Finance Department in the Office of the National Security Adviser is exempted from following civil service rules and regulations. He, therefore, asserted that payments made to individuals and departments under the presidency do not require receipts or to be retired.
Salisu also confirmed that all payments released to Okupe’s office were only made after verbal instructions by the NSA. He, however, told the court that he was not aware of whatever specific purposes the payments were meant for since he never attended any of the meetings between the NSA and Dr. Okupe.
Under cross-examination of Alhaji Salisu by Mr. Tolu Babaleye, counsel to Okupe, the former agreed that the funds were released to the office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, and not personally to Dr. Okupe, as indicated in the payment vouchers.
The case has been adjourned to Friday, June 28, by the trial judge, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu.