The trial of the former Accountant-General of the Federation, AGF, Ahmed Idris, accused of embezzling about N109.4 billion in public funds, resumed on Thursday. Idris alleges that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, misled him into self-incrimination. Here’s an excerpt of the proceedings:
The trial of the former Accountant-General of the Federation, AGF, Ahmed Idris, who was accused of siphoning public funds to the tune of about N109.4 billion, resumed on Thursday, with the defendant, alleging that he was deceived by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to implicate himself.
Idris is facing a 14-count charge the anti-graft agency entered against him and three others before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, sitting at Maitama, Abuja.
Other defendants in the matter are; an aide to the former AGF, Mr. Olusegun Akindele; a Director of the Federation Account, Mohammed Usman, as well as a company, Gezawa Commodity Market & Exchange Limited, which allegedly served as the conduit pipe through which bulk of the stolen funds were diverted.
Justice Halilu Yusuf had ordered a trial-within-trial in the matter to enable the court to determine whether all the extra-judicial statements the embattled former AGF made while he was interviewed by the EFCC, should be admitted in evidence.
Whereas the prosecution maintained that the defendant made confessional statements that nailed him to the charge, however, the former AGF insisted that he made the said statements under duress.
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