How ECOWAS Commission was robbed of N587.7m

A prosecution witness, Abdulahi Tafida, who is a compliance officer with Zenith Bank Plc on Wednesday, told a Federal High Court, Abuja presided over by Justice Okon Abang,  monies were wired between companies in the money laundering trial involving Mohammed Dangana, a staff of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS Commission.
Dangana, an executive assistant to the Financial Controller, ECOWAS  Commission Secretariat Abuja, is facing prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on a 15-count charge, bordering on criminal diversion of funds, misappropriation and money laundering to the tune of over N587.7m
He was arraigned alongside Saleh Dangana (Financial Controller, ECOWAS) and Aliyu Ndagi (both still at large) on October 18, 2019.
Led in evidence today by prosecution counsel, Wahab Shittu, Tafida made available in court, the account opening package, mandate card, bank statement and certification of two companies: Dashad and Company Limited and Cactus Facility Management Company involved in the alleged fraud.
He said Saleh Dangana and Alhaji Aliyu Ndagi were signatories to Cactus Facility Management Company, while one Adeitan Tayo and Adeitan Shakira Motunrayo are signatories to Dashad and Company Limited. The documents were admitted in evidence by the court, marked A1-A40, B1-B29 and C1-2 respectively.
Regarding monetary transfers, Tafida revealed that there was a transfer of N100million, done in two installments of N50million each from Dashad and Company Limited to Cactus Facility Management Company on July 28, 2016. This is said, was followed by another transfer of N62.7million between the two companies.
On August 1, 2016, he said N30million was moved to an account named: Recovery Package BDC Limited, domiciled in Diamond Bank and N40million to a company named Sangano Chambers whose account is domiciled in Guaranty Trust Bank, GTB. On same day, he said N20million was also transferred to Halbiz Nigeria Limited, company account, domiciled in GTB.
Between August 1 and 6, 2016, the witness said that over N52million was moved out from Cactus Facility Management Company Limited account.
During cross-examination by defence counsel Chukwuma Oyenzugwume, Tafida  told the court that he was not an account officer to any of the accounts, and did not take part in the opening  of the accounts, affirming also that Mohammed Dangana was not a signatory to any of the accounts.
Matter was adjourned until November 14, 2019   for continuation of trial.