Former Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam who is facing corruption charges is appearing before the Federal High Court in Abuja after the court granted his request to travel abroad for medical checkup. At the resumed hearing of the case, a witness called by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission narrated how Suswam laundered billions of naira belonging to the state.
Suswam and his former Commissioner for Finance, Omodachi Okolobia are being prosecuted by the EFCC for allegedly diverting N3.1bn from the Benue state coffers, for their personal use. Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, the witness Abubakar Umar who is a Bureau De Change operator told the court that he received a total sum of three billion one hundred and eleven million naira from Suswam and gave him the equivalent of fifteen million eight hundred dollars.
But due to discrepancies in his testimonies the prosecution counsel sought for an adjournment to put his house in order. Defence Counsel however objected asking the court to make an order that will shield the witness from the prosecution, arguing that the witness will be influenced in his testimonies.
