By Martins Odeh
Abuja – A prosecution witness, Mr Amazu Nwanchukwu, has denied knowledge of any illicit bank transaction committed by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki.
Nwanchukwu, a senior official of the Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB), made the denial in his evidence in chief at the Code of Conduct Tribunal in Abuja on Tuesday.
He told the tribunal that he was just given the document which formed part of the charge to be read.
According to him, he has no knowledge of the alleged transactions linked between the defendant and the bank.
Nwanchukwu further said AMEX Ltd, the operators of Saraki’s foreign card was not a financial institution as claimed by the prosecution.
The prosecution witness denied knowledge of foreign transfers allegedly linked to Saraki while serving as Kwara State Governor.
“Saraki was a long standing customer of the bank, but, I knew nothing about the alleged foreign accounts transactions linked to him while he was the governor of Kwara state.
When crossed examined by Mr Paul Usoro (SAN), counsel to Saraki the witness said: “I was just asked to read the documents not that I knew anything about them’’
“I saw for the first time that the alleged telexes were used for funds transfer to foreign countries when I came into contact with this case.
“I have nothing to do with the transfer, I was not the one who conducted the transfer’’, he said
The witness further told the tribunal he did not see the documents while serving at the Ilorin branch of the bank, adding that he was not privy to the defendant filling forms for such transfer.
The witness further told the tribunal that he made his statement to EFCC Sept, 10, 2015 five days after Saraki had been charged with the alleged offences.
On Saraki’s relationship with American Express Bank and Fortis Bank of London, the witness said he did not consult with the two banks to know if they had relationship with him.
He further said that he did not know anything about the mortgage serviced by Saraki when he was the governor.
“I have never seen the agreement paper or any account opening mandate with Fortis Bank to establish that the defendant maintained foreign accounts with Fortis Bank of London.
“I have never seen the fund transfer request forms from the defendant. My unit and the fund transfer unit did not have direct interface with the customer.
“We do not also interface with beneficiaries of transferred funds’’, he said.
“I am aware that American Express Services Europe Limited where Saraki allegedly transferred money to was not a bank.
“The E-payment unit of GTB carries out such foreign funds transfer and I have never worked at the unit.
“I cannot give evidence on the operation of the American express bank too because I have not worked there’’, he said.
On the fire that allegedly gutted the foreign operations unit of the bank in 2011, the witness said that he did not mention anything on the fire outbreak in his statement.
Earlier in his evidence in chief, the witness told the tribunal he never met with Saraki in person until today, adding also that he had never worked at the Ilorin branch of GTB.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the tribunal, Mr Danladi Umar adjourned further cross examination of the witness until Jan.18
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Saraki is standing trial at the CCT for alleged falsification of asset declaration and money laundering.
