The conomic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has told Justice Rilwan Aikwa of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos how Muhammed Belgore, governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2011 Kwara State gubernatorial election, shared N126.5m to members of the Kwara senatorial districts
This came up on Wednesday during the cross-examination of Belgore on the alleged cash out of the N450m allegedly paid by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke.
The sum was allegedly to manipulate the outcome of the 2015 general election in favour of former president Goodluck Jonathan.
At the resumed hearing, Rotimi Oyedepo, the prosecution counsel, asked Belgore if he recalled that he had stated, in his evidence, that he saw N450m at the bank, signed the receipt and instructed the bank to safe-keep it for him.
Oyedepo further asked Belgore if he recalled that he also stated in his evidence that he called a stakeholders’ meeting upon receipt of the money. Belgore responded: “Yes, I called a stakeholders’ meeting. It was at the meeting we discussed the disbursement of the money and agreed that each senatorial district should nominate two people each, who would collect money for their district.”
Oyedepo put it to Belgore that:“ Mr. Zikrullah Balogun, your personal assistant, made several disbursements on your instructions and received in cash N80m; Mr. Sheriff Shagaya received N50m; Mr. Isa Beau, N61,656,000; Mrs. Shola Adeoti, N102,298,000; Mr Iyola Oyedepo, N9,574,000 and Senator Sulaiman Ajadi, N19,689,000.”
Belgore told the court that the stakeholders gave him instructions which he passed to his personal assistant, Balogun, to carry out. “Yes, I was informed that they all received the money and it was paid in cash,” he confessed.
Justice Aikawa adjourned the case to June 17, 2019 for continuation of cross-examination.
