A former Personal Assistant (PA) to the immediate past governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku, Ismail Oluwadamilare Lawal, yesterday told a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama, Abuja, how he disbursed funds paid into his accounts by state officials on the directive of the then governor.

Lawal gave details of the disbursement while testifying as a prosecution witness (PW) in the ongoing trial of Ishaku and a former Permanent Secretary in the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Taraba State, Bello Yero.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Ishaku and Yero on a 15-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, and illegal conversion of public funds totalling N27 billion.

Lawal said officials attached to the Government House in Jalingo often transferred funds into his personal accounts for disbursement on the former governor?s instruction.

Led in evidence by prosecuting lawyer, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), the PW said in some instances, he withdrew funds in cash and handed them to Ishaku at the Taraba State Governor?s Lodge in Abuja.

He said all documents on both accounts ? a savings and current accounts in Zenith Bank ? earlier tendered by the prosecution, including the account statement, account opening packages and the passport photographs affixed to them, belong to him.

Lawal said: ?I have a savings account. Money was always sent to the account. But the charges were much; so, His Excellency (Ishaku) asked me to open a current account.?

The witness named some government officials who always sent money into his accounts as Joel Tilenya (the Cashier at the Government House in Jalingo), Galiya Lodiya and Haziel Bala (another Accounts Section officials at the Government House in Jalingo).

He added that whenever funds were transferred into his account, the Permanent Secretary at the Government House in Jalingo, Chindo Audi, always called him to confirm if he got the money. The disbursement of the funds would follow as directed by the ex-governor. (The Nation)

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