Matilda Omonaiye/
The trial of former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, over an alleged N2.7 billion fraud took a dramatic turn on Wednesday as the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja played a leaked audio recording in open court, with an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) investigator identifying the voice in the recording as that of the former minister.
The recording was played before Justice S.C. Oriji during proceedings in the ongoing trial involving Sirika, his daughter, Fatima Hadi Sirika, his son-in-law, Hamma Jalal Sule, and Al Buraq Investment Global Limited, a company allegedly linked to his daughter.
The EFCC’s 12th prosecution witness, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, Christopher Odofin, told the court that the recording captured a conversation between Sirika and the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Aviation, Enitan Abel.
Led in evidence during cross-examination by defence counsel Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), Odofin testified that the voice note was sent by Sirika from Spain to the permanent secretary and centred on a controversial consultancy arrangement.
According to the witness, the voice heard in the recording belonged to Sirika, who discussed plans to assign a man identified as Yasir, described as his cousin, to assist Prof. Gabriel Tilman in navigating consultancy procedures within Nigeria.
Odofin said the almost 70-year-old Tilman was the alter ego of Tinaero Nigeria Limited and was described by Sirika in the recording as a close friend who was “comfortable” with officials in the ministry.
The investigator further told the court that Sirika acknowledged in the audio that some ministry officials disliked Tilman because he allegedly imposed himself on them.
The witness also testified that Tinaero Nigeria Limited was incorporated barely a year before securing two contracts from the Ministry of Aviation, a development the EFCC considers significant to its case against the defendants.
Following the testimony, Justice Oriji admitted into evidence an order freezing the bank accounts of the third defendant, Hamma Jalal Sule, and the fourth defendant, Al Buraq Investment Global Limited, both maintained with Zenith Bank.
During further cross-examination by counsel to Sirika, Kanu Agabi (SAN), Odofin identified Exhibit 9 as the Ministry of Aviation’s request to the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) seeking a no-objection certificate to adopt selective tendering for critical capital projects.
He confirmed that the document was signed by the Permanent Secretary, Enitan Abel.
The witness also identified Exhibit 11 as the BPP’s response approving the ministry’s request for selective tendering.
However, under questioning, Odofin admitted that neither Exhibit 9 nor Exhibit 11 made any reference to Sirika.
The former minister and his co-defendants are facing prosecution by the EFCC over allegations bordering on abuse of office, contract fraud and related offences involving about N2.7 billion. The defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
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