The trial of former Kwara State Governor, Alhaji
Abdulfatah Ahmed, and his Commissioner for Finance, Ademola Banu, over an
alleged mismanagement of Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC's
funds continued on Thursday, March 13, 2025 with the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission (EFCC) presenting its third witness, Engineer Abdulsalam
Olarewaju Sirajudeen, before Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High
Court, Ilorin.
Ahmed and Banu are facing trial for the alleged
misappropriation of UBEC funds to the tune of N5.78 billion.
Testifying before the court, Sirajudeen, a project
manager with SUBEB in 2013 who later became Director of Physical Planning in
2017, explained the procedures for executing projects in primary and junior
secondary schools using UBEC's Matching Grants and Counterpart Funds.
He detailed his responsibilities, which included
visiting schools across Kwara’s 16 local government areas to assess their
needs, conducting surveys, documenting findings, and submitting reports to UBEC
for approval and funding.
"The Physical Planning Department prepares the
action plans based on guidelines provided by UBEC," he said.
"UBEC then invites us to Abuja for discussions on the action
plan."
Led in evidence by EFCC’s counsel, Rotimi
Jacobs, SAN, Sirajudeen told the court that an action plan for 2013 was
prepared and sent to UBEC for review and approval.
Explaining the project execution process under SUBEB,
he said, "After approval, an advertisement is placed, inviting qualified
contractors to bid. After four weeks, bidding takes place in the presence of
all stakeholders, including UBEC representatives. Contractors who win the bids
are then mobilized to project sites."
He added that similar action plans were prepared for
2014 and 2015 and submitted to UBEC for approval. However, while bidders were
invited, the projects were never awarded to contractors.
During cross-examination by the defense counsel, led
by Jimoh Mumini, SAN, and Gboyega Oyewole, SAN, Sirajudeen confirmed that
neither Ahmed nor Banu was a signatory to SUBEB accounts.
The judge adjourned the matter to April 10–11,
2025, for further hearing.
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