Alleged N109b fraud: I thought I won’t be prosecuted – Ex-AGF
The immediate past Accountant General of the Federation, AGF, Ahmed Idris, said he initially thought he would not be tried for the alleged N109 billion fraud for which he and three others are facing trial.
The ex-AG-F said this in one of the 13 statements he made to EFCC investigators, which have been tendered before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, where he is being tried with others.
Idris said he cooperated with Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, investigators by providing them with necessary information to help their investigation in the belief that he would not be prosecuted.
In the statement, dated May 25, 2022, he said: “All along, I have cooperated with the EFCC officials and have volunteered information to demonstrate my commitment to make the investigation easier and speedy.
“Any statement I have made before or I am making now is based on my firm assumption, belief and understanding that by being open and aligning myself with statements made by principal suspects, such statements will not be used against me and eventually lead to my trial or prosecution.
“In view of foregoing statements, I wish to accept the net figure of N13.2 billion I am confronted with, subject to the reservations expressed in this statement.”
His counsel, Chris Uche, had objected to the admissibility of the statements, claiming that investigators hoodwinked his client to make the statements, which contained some admissions.
that the EFCC is prosecuting Idris; his former Technical Assistant, Godfrey Olusegun Akindele; a director in the Office of the AGF, Mohammed Kudu Usman; and Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited (said to belong to Idris) on a 14-count charge bordering on stealing and criminal breach of trust to the tune of N109 billion.
