By Abiola Olawale
The hearing of a lawsuit filed against the immediate past Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika has commenced at the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday opened its case on the alleged N2.6 billion fraud preferred against Sirika and his daughter, Fatima; Jalal Sule Hamma and Al-Duraq Investment Limited.
Opening the case before the presiding judge, Justice Sylvanus Oriji, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, led in Azubuike Okorie, a subpoenaed witness of the EFCC testified as the first witness, (PW1)
Jacobs is a retired staff of the Federal Ministry of Aviation, who was Director, Procurement and Special Assistant to the Honorable Minister, Projects(2022-2023). He also served as Chairman of the Project Implementation Committee.
Speaking before the court, Jacobs said as a Special Assistant, he was responsible for monitoring and evaluating projects.
He said he saw N800 million against Al-Duraq Global Investment Limited and Apron Expansion and was aware the contract was given to the above company.
He added that before a contract is awarded, the user’s agency, in this case, the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), would have secured the land.
In his words: “Well, the team of the Project Implementation Committee came in contact with Al-Duraq in Kastina when we went for project monitoring and implementation at Kastina airport.
“When we got there, because we had a list of other contractors who were supposed to be on the ground including Al-Duraq, we did not find any of them on site then.”
The witness further said that as of the time he left the civil service on May 23, 2023, to the best of his knowledge, the contract was not executed.
When asked if he was aware that 100 per cent payment was made to the fourth defendant before he left office?
He told the court that he was only aware of 30 per cent mobilisation fee paid to them.
He added that as Chairman of the Project Implementation Committee, he was not involved in payments.
” As a former director, what I know is that payments were made in stages,” he said
” The Project Implementation Committee ensures the execution of projects , ” he added.
The New Diplomat reports that Sirika had initially been arraigned for N2.7bn fraud before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja.
He was arraigned on six counts alongside his daughter, Fatimah; brother-in-law, Jalal Hamma, and Al-Buraq Investment Ltd.
However, in the amended charges, the anti-graft agency slammed an alleged N19 billion fraud against Sirika. The EFCC said the alleged N19 billion fraud is the total sum of Aviation contracts allegedly signed by Sirika and awarded to his younger brother, Abubakar.
In a copy of the fresh charges, the EFCC alleged that Sirika, “while being the Minister of Aviation, on or about 18th August 2022, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did use your position to confer an unfair advantage upon Enginos Nigeria Limited, whose alter ego, Ahmad Abubakar Sirika, is your biological brother, by using your position to influence the award to him, the contract for the construction of a terminal building at Katsina Airport for the sum of N1,345,586,500.00.”
Sirika was alleged to have violated Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the same section.
In another count, the EFCC alleged that “on or about 3rd of November, 2022, in Abuja,” Sirika used his position “to confer unfair advantage upon Enginos Nigeria Limited, whose alter ego, Ahmad Abubakar Sirika, is your biological brother, by using your position to influence the award to him. According to the EFCC, the contract in question is the contract for the establishment of Fire Truck Maintenance and Refurbishment Centre at Katsina Airport for the sum of N3,811,497,685.00.”
