Ethel Ekam, the first prosecution’s witness in the trial of the embattled Provost of Federal School of Medical Laboratory Technology (FSMLT), Jos, Plateau State, Dr. Nkereuwem Sunday Etukudo, on Friday told Justice D. D. Longi of the Plateau State High Court, Jos, how she was queried and sanctioned for complying with the provost’s directive.

Etukudo is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC alongside Yusuf Samuel, Accountant, FSMLT; Ernest Demtoe, Secretary of Tenders Board, FSMLT; Goodluck Echewa, and Esio Udoh, both contractors of FSM on a 15-count charge of conspiracy, diversion of funds to the tune of N359 million.

Narrating her ordeal, Ekam, a former staff of the FSMLT, while being cross-examined by counsel to the first, third, fourth and fifth defendants, Solomon Umoh, SAN, shed further light into the circumstances surrounding her dismissal from the school.

“My relationship with the Provost was cordial until I was contacted by one Dr. Bankole Falade, a lawyer, attached to the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists in Nigeria, JUTH Chapter, Plateau State at 2011, to certify minutes of a meeting in connection to a case of NANBOLISTIC between the school and the secretary that had to do with the issue of the profession. The minutes had earlier been adopted and circulated to about fifteen stakeholders. One Mr. James Damen was one of the stakeholders.

“Falade had attached a copy of the minutes to the letter and asked me to certify it. I had obtained the permission of the Provost, via verbal instruction, to certify the document and I did so on behalf of the school. The government of the Provost was based on verbal instructions.

“Certifying the document attracted a query. The provost that gave me the instruction later queried me. That was his system of operation. A panel was set up and I told them that I had taken that action based on his verbal instructions. I was eventually given a letter of warning and was subsequently transferred away from the school by the Federal Ministry of Health.

“When I went to the EFCC and saw the petition filed against the Provost, I wasn’t surprised,” she stated.

Under cross-examination by counsel to the second defendant, A. Omolowo, Ekam stated that “I was employed by the FSMLT in 2006. I became the Head of the Parasitology Department between 2007 – 2012. I was relieved of that position and all of my duties as Head of Department, Practical Coordinator, Project Supervisor and Hostel Supervisor in 2012, shortly after I received the query and letter of warning from the Ministry of Health. I have a letter to that effect.”

She added: “I left FSMLT in March 2014, when I was thrown out of the school premises. I did not leave the Commission on my own.”

The PW1, who had earlier in her evidence-in-chief testified to the effect that she had never travelled out of the country for professional training despite funds being released to the school for that purpose, reiterated that she adopted the petition at the EFCC because “It was the true situation of things at the school at that time.”

In the absence of re-examination by the prosecution, the witness was discharged from the box.

The matter has been adjourned to July 10 – 11, 2018 for continuation of trial.

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