Shehu Mohammed Atiku, one of the witnesses in the ongoing trial of former Governor Danjuma Goje of Gombe State, who is currently a serving senator, has told a Federal High Court in Gombe, that the ex-governor forged the Resolution of the House and collected N5bn facility from Access Bank.
At the resumed trial on Monday, Atiku, who is a former Clerk of the Gombe State House of Assembly and one of the three witnesses called by prosecuting counsel, Wahab Shitu, insisted that the resolution did not emanate from the House.
“My Lord, the said resolution did not emanate from the Gombe State House of Assembly and I was not a signatory to it,” he said.
He noted that “as the Admin Officer of the House, I chair management committee of the House, keep the record of House proceedings and maintain its records”.
Unfortunately, the court had to cut short the proceeding and adjourn for further hearing owing to the fracas that ensued as suspected political thugs invaded the court premises and disrupted the proceedings.
According to the Head, Media & Publicity, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, “the thugs also launched attack on the accused persons and others outside the court premises during which the second accused person, Aliyu El-Nafarty and one other person were seriously wounded”.
In the melee, Uwujaren said, vehicles were vandalised including that of the defence counsel, Paul Erokoro, SAN.
He said that “the attack forced the presiding judge, Justice B. O. Quadri to adjourn to November 25, 2015.
“Justice Quadir condemned the attack and directed both counsel to do a report on what happened which he promised to forward to the Chief Judge, Federal High Court for necessary action”.
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Goje, alongside four other accused persons are being prosecuted by the EFCC on charges of conspiracy, money laundering and embezzlement of funds belonging to the state government.
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