The money laundering trial of former governor of Niger State, Muazu Babangida Aliyu and two others: Tanko Beji and Umar Nasko, continued on Tuesday September 14, 2021 before Justice Mikail Aliyu of the Niger State High Court with the cross examination of first prosecution witness, PW1, Muhammad Ndawuye Nmadu.
Ndawuye under cross-examination by counsel to the first, second and third defendants, informed the court that he was the Auditor-General of the state from 2008 to November 2020. Asked if he was in the position to supervise the ministries in the state, the retired Auditor-General replied that, “I do not have to be supervising them to be familiar with them personally. To some extent, I am familiar because we visit them to audit their books.”
Explaining the meaning of audit alert, PW1 told the court that, “it is a term used to describe or define the result of audit visit. When we visit ministries, the first thing we do is to ask for their procedure. It is based on the information, we try to see whether they are in line with the rules or procedures. Therefrom, we draw our conclusion as to their record keeping.”
Asked if there were reports of missing links from anywhere apart from Exhibit A, the PW1 told the court that he only had the Exhibit A report. “It is only the Exhibit A report that I have. We requested for the documents but we didn’t get all. We audited the Ministry of Environment and PARKS,” he said.
Justice Aliyu adjourned the matter to Wednesday, 15 September, 2021 for continuation of hearing.
Aliyu, Nasko and Beji are being prosecuted on amended seven-count charge of money laundering and criminal breach of trust to the tune of about N2billion.
