CCT trial: Saraki was receiving monthly salaries from Kwara state govt even after becoming senator – EFCC

The trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal continued today. The tribunal was told that Saraki was receiving monthly salaries from the Kwara state government even after he became a senator.

This was disclosed by Michael Wetkas, a detective of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), during his testimony.

Wetkas claimed that Saraki was receiving monthly salaries from June 2011, when he left office as governor of Kwara state, to August 2015 while he was a senator.

His words:

“In the course of our investigation, we wrote to Access Bank for them to give us details of the salary account of the defendant. The salary that was coming into the account was N254, 212 as of 1 August 2007.

“As of June 3, 2011, the salary was N291, 124. On July 4, there was another payment with the narration Kwara State Government (KSG) June 2011 salary. The amount was N572, 286.

“On August 29, 2011, there was another payment in the sum of N744, 002 from the Kwara state government.

“On September 29, 2011 there was another payment of N743, 942 with the narration salary payment from KSG.

“On October 27, 2011, there was another payment of N1, 165, 468 for salary.

“In November 2011, there was payment of the same amount. The narration was December pension.

“On February 1, 2012, there was payment of the same amount with the narration for pension.

“The salary payments stopped in this account on August 31, 2015. The defendant left office on May 29, 2011, he became senator in the same.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Wetkas had detailed how Saraki allegedly used fictitious names to launder billions of naira.

The EFCC detective also revealed that Abdul Adama, one of Saraki’s personal assistants, made transaction 50 times into the former governor’s account in a single day, broken down to N600,000 and N900,000 on each occasion.

He added that “after that, one Ubi made a lodgment on the same day about 20 times in the same range of N600,000 and N900,000.”

On Wednesday, Wetkas also alleged that the senate president made corruptly obtained cash deposits of $10,000 18 times in one day, into his account with Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB).