Witness Says 2013 KWSUBEB Contracts Were ‘Satisfactorily Executed’ As Fraud Case Against Former Gov Ahmed, Banu Continues In Ilorin
A prosecution witness, who once served as Project Manager of the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (KWSUBEB), Engineer Abdulsamad Olanrewaju Abdulsalam submitted on Thursday that all infrastructure projects executed by the agency in 2013 were fully implemented and satisfactorily done.
Abdulsalam, who served as Project Manager between 1998 and 2017, made this assertion while being cross-examined by counsel for former governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, Mr. Mumuni Jimoh (SAN). and the former Finance Commissioner, Mr. Demola Banu at the state High Court, Ilorin on Thursday.
Recall that the former governor and Hon Demola Banu, who served as Commissioner for Finance during his administration, were among other things accused of conspiring to convert to personal use, funds meant for the payment of salary to teachers under the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board, UBEC, as well as the funds meant for enhancing security of lives and property and provision of infrastructure projects for the people of the state.
It centered on alleged diversion of N5.78 billion belonging to UBEC.
Recall also that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) , had in February last year filed charges against the former governor and the former Commissioner for Finance over offences bordering on alleged fraud.
A definitive decision had not been taken on this at the Federal High Court, Ilorin before the anti-graft agency discontinued the case and got them re-arraigned in October last year while opting for the state High Court.
Alhaji Ahmed and Hon Banu had however pleaded not guilty to charges contained in the charging document while Justice Mahmood Abdulgafar, who presided over the court session, later set the former governor’s bail at N 100 million ditto the former commissioner while adding that one of their sureties must also be a serving or retired Permanent Secretary.
Team@orientactualmags.com learned that the former governor and Hon Banu returned to court on Thursday, March 13, 2025, with Engineer Abdulsamad Olanrewaju Abdulsalam, who was responsible for public primary and junior secondary school infrastructure, clarifying his role during cross-examination.
‘I became the Director of Physical Planning in 2018. My duty was to conduct condition surveys of schools and assess student populations. I had no involvement in administrative decisions’ he said.
Abdulsalam added that the UBEC monitoring team from Abuja visited and confirmed that the 2013 projects were satisfactorily executed.
‘All infrastructural projects were implemented without any hindrance, and the contractors were paid. UBEC and SUBEB management expressed satisfaction with the work done’ he said.
Abdulsalam also noted that the signatories to SUBEB’s bank account were the accountant, the permanent secretary, and the executive chairman—not former Governor Ahmed or his Finance Commissioner, Banu.
Earlier during the court session presided over by Justice Mahmood Abdulgafar ,the second EFCC witness, Dr. Musa Dasuki, testified that matching grants from UBEC and SUBEB could not have been used for any purpose other than improvement of school infrastructure.
During cross-examination by Banu’s counsel, Gboyega Oyewole (SAN), Dr. Dasuki said:
‘It is wrongful to disburse SUBEB funds as loans. Matching grants cannot be used for any other purpose. SUBEB operates as a parastatal with an executive chairman, secretary, and permanent board members’.
He further disclosed that no board meeting was held before SUBEB funds were transferred to the Kwara State Government between 2013 and 2016.
Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar later adjourned further hearing in the case until April 12, 2025 -Team@orientactualmags.com Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08035023079, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com. Thank you
