By EDITH NWAPI

A former Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Ahmed Idris, denied engaging Paul Erokoro, SAN, to represent him at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Headquarters.

Idris made this known in an Abuja court while being cross examined by the EFCC counsel Rotimi Jacobs SAN, in the trial-within-trial ordered by the court.

The court had ordered a trial-within-trial following the objection raised by his counsel, Chris Uche SAN.

Uche objected on the grounds that Idris’ statements the prosecution sought to tender on Nov. 23, 2022 were made on the grounds of deception and inducement.

Idris alongside Geoffrey Olusegun Akindele; Mohammed Kudu Usman and Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited are standing trial before Justice Halilu Yusuf.

They are prosecuted by EFCC on a 14-count -charge marked CR/199/2022

Bordering on stealing, fraudulent diversion of public fund to the tune of N109.5 billion.

They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them.

Jacob’s asked Idris whether some lawyers stood as witnesses when he signed some of the statements he made in the EFCC office on different dates between Jan. 22, 2022 and July 5, 2022.

Jacobs names Odudu Etuan from Paul Erokoro Chambers and Haruna Isah, the Director of Legal Services in the Office of Accountant-General of the Federation, Olugbenga Adeyemi as well as Paul Erokoro SAN.

Idris said he doesn’t know Erokoro nor his chambers, although he said the SAN contacted him while he was in EFCC custody, canvassing for his engagement but he did not grant the request.

“I did not retain the services of Paul Erokoro Chambers in the course of EFCC’s investigation and my family did not engage the services of any lawyers when I was in detention.

“Erokoro came to me while I was in (EFCC) custody, canvassing for his engagement which I didn’t grant,” he said.

Idris told the court that he made 16 different statements while in EFCC custody and was surprised that the prosecution only brought 13 before the court.

He added that the statements were not made voluntarily.

He was subsequently shown each of the 13 statements in dispute and he confirmed that he made reference to the previous statement when writing each one of them.

According to him, he made his first statement on Jan. 22, 2022 when he went to EFCC voluntarily and was not detained afterwards.

“I was not arrested; I went to EFCC on my own. Nobody asked me to produce a surety.”

He further told the court that he visited the then EFCC chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, on a private visit based on a private invitation.

He added that, the former EFCC boss made promises to him, including that he (Idris) should not engage the services of any lawyer

He added, because he would not be prosecuted; that he was not the target of investigations but the then Minister of Finance Shamsuna Zaynab Ahmed and that he would not be prosecuted if he cooperated with the demand of EFCC.

He, however, told the court that he had not seen the former minister charged in court with him or her statements presented before the court.

Justice Halilu, after listening adjourned until April 21 for continuation of hearing in the trial-within-trial. (NAN)

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