The trial of former Minister of Aviation, Hadi
Sirika, continued on Monday, 27 January 2025, with the Fifth Prosecution
Witness, PW5, Musa Odiniyan informing Justice S. C. Oriji of the Federal
Capital Territory, FCT, High Court that the company, Al Buraq Global Investment was
not qualified for the contract awarded for the repairs of Katsina Airport
by the ministry under the leadership of the first defendant.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC is
prosecuting Sirika and three others: Fatima Hadi Sirika, Jalal
Sule Hamma and Al Buraq Global Investment on six -count amended
charges bordering on contract fraud to the tune of N2,825,032,220.97 (Two
Billion, Eight Hundred and Twenty Five Million, Thirty Two
Thousand, Two Hundred and Twenty Naira, Ninety Seven
kobo).
The witness, during a cross-examination by
counsel to the fourth defendant Michael Numa, SAN, reaffirmed his
position in his evidence that the company could
not have qualified for the bidding process or the contract award
if open and competitive bidding was done.
“We use some criteria for determining the award of
contracts for companies. I still maintain that if it was an open
competitive bidding, the company Al Buraq may not have
qualified,” he stated.
He also disclosed that the reason for which the
contract was paid for was simply to ensure that it
was completed and commissioned by former President
Buhari before he left office.
“The reason for that payment was for the project to be
implemented and commissioned before the exit of
the former president. It was not for variation. The accounting
officer sourced money from every relevant route to actualize the project. The
N800million is a budgetary allowance to support the actualization of the
project,” he said.
Odiniyan, a retired director in the Procurement
Department, Ministry of Aviation also informed the court that two of
the ministry’s contracts awarded to Alburak and Enginos on the
Apron and Terminal Building of Katsina Airport respectively,
were captured under two different budget codes
but appeared in a single code in
the Procurement Department.
The judge adjourned the matter till March 10,
2025 for continuation of the cross-examination.
Comments:
Leave a Reply