to the Defendant was Alhaji Tutare and he, maintained throughout the
evidence that he was instructed by the Defendant. It is his word against the
Defendant. Despite the Defendant’s denial before the Court, he had admitted
this Sum in his Statements Exhibit Z1-Z3, tying it to the Purchase of a House
belonging to Alhaji Ibrahim. Alhaji Ibrahim on his own part, in Exhibit Z7
confirmed that this Sum was a deposit for his House and he had waited over
Eight Months for the completion of the Contract. It is also in Evidence, that
this Sum of Money was refunded through Alhaji Ibrahim, through Alhaji
Tutare to the EFCC. According to Alhaji Ibrahim, the Defendant actually
communicated with him when the Defendant told him that the Transaction
could no longer take place.
Had Alhaji Ibrahim Abubakar and Alhaji Imam Ahmed both testified to the
effect that the Money was not for the Purchase of a House, and had Alhaji
Ibrahim Justified the Receipt of this Fund to be a legitimate transaction,
either with Taraba State Government or Salman Global Ventures, their
Evidence would have assisted the Defendant in rebutting the Evidence of the
Prosecution Witnesses. The Evidence that the Defendant intended to
Purchase the Property is Evident by the propensity of Oral and Documentary
Evidence in confirmation.
The Court finds that this Sum of Eighty Million Naira was not the Defendant’s
Legal Remuneration as a Public Servant, seen through Exhibits AA1 to AA3.
There is also the salient fact that no Contract was performed by Salman
Global Ventures for this amount of Money. It can also be seen that this
Company received the Money as illustrated in Exhibit H for no apparent
reason and PW14; Mr. Dandison stated that as Company Secretary that
Salman Global Ventures did not perform any Water Project.
As Governor of Taraba State, he was a Public Servant and he even
acknowledged this fact that he HIMSELF was a Public Servant in Exhibit SS
his Account Opening Package. By the Mere Instruction and Payment of the
Money into Salman Global Ventures Accounts, this Act amounted to
Gratification and also obtaining a Valuable Thing without Consideration, as
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