Alleged Fraud: No payment made to Orji Uzor Kalu from government account — Witness

An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC witness, Onovah Ogonevoh, yesterday, told a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos that no payment was made to the former Abia State governor, Dr. Orji Kalu, from Government House account between 2002 and 2005.

Trial judge in the matter is Justice Mohammed Idris.

The witness made this disclosure while testifying in the on-going trial of the former governor and two others over alleged fraud.

While being cross-examined by Kalu’s lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, over a document containing information about 38 bank drafts issued by the Umuahia Branch of the defunct Manny Bank Plc within the period, Ogonevoh  said no draft was either paid by Kalu or issued in his name.

According to him, “There was nowhere in the documents where the names of Dr. Kalu and Slok Nigeria Ltd were mentioned as those who gave instructions on the drafts.

“Between 2002 and 2005, I was in the Corporate Audit Department of FSB International Bank. I was not working with Manny Bank in Umuahia at this time. I had never at any point in time worked with the bank.

“The Government House Account was domiciled in Umuahia and I had never at any time worked under Abia State Government or Orji  Kalu’s administration.”

[Anaba/vanguard]