The trial of Ahmed Idris, the former Accountant-General of the Federation, AGF, who was charged with embezzling N109.4 billion in public monies, recommenced Wednesday.
Idris claims he was tricked into testifying by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Idris is facing a 14-count charge the anti-graft agency entered against him and three others before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, sitting at Maitama, Abuja.
Other defendants in the matter are an aide to the former AGF, Mr. Olusegun Akindele, a Director of the Federation Account, Mohammed Usman, as well as a company, Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited, which allegedly served as the conduit pipe through which bulk of the stolen funds were diverted.
Justice Halilu Yusuf had ordered a trial-within-trial in the matter to enable the court to determine whether all the extra-judicial statements the former AGF made while he was interviewed by the EFCC, should be admitted in evidence.
While the prosecution maintained that the defendant made confessional statements that nailed him to the charge, the former AGF insisted that he made the said statements under duress.
Idris, alleged that he was deceived with a promise, to write the statement.
According to his lead counsel, Chris Uche, SAN, the EFCC had assured the defendant that he would not be subjected to any trial should he give details that would implicate a former Minister of Finance and some governors.
Read Also:
‘Fire for fire’: Wike vows to flush out criminals from FCT
The defendant urged the court to reject the said confessional statements which he said were obtained in violation of the provisions of Sections 15(4) and 17(1) (2) of the ACJA 2015, as his lawyers were not present when he made them and the sessions were not recorded.
However, the EFCC, through one of its lead investigators, Mr. Hayatudeen Suleiman, who appeared as a witness in the matter, yesterday, denied the allegation.
The witness maintained that the 1st defendant voluntarily made the statements and was also notified that they would be used in court for the trial.
