Emenalo, who said this on Friday before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, maintained that his company was used as a channel to obtain about N72 million from NIMASA.
The witness, who introduced himself as sole proprietor of O2 services Plus Nig. Ltd, made the statement at the resumed trial of Patrick Akpobolokemi who is the immediate past Director General of NIMASA.
Akpobolokemi was charged to court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside six others, on a 22-count charge bordering on allegations of conversion and theft to the tune of N2.6 billion.
Other accused charged are Captain Ezekiel Agaba, Ekene Nwakuche, Governor Juan – and three companies, namely Blockz and Stonz Ltd, Kenzo Logistics Ltd and Al-Kenzo Logistic Ltd.
They are being tried before Justice Ibrahim Buba, where they had all pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them.
Emelano is the fifth witness for the prosecution.
In his evidence in chief conducted by the prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, the witness told the court that his company specialises in agro-allied services and gets remuneration for its services through its bank accounts.
He told the court that sometime in 2015, his younger brother, one Uche Emelano sought to use his company to elicit a contract from NIMASA.
He said that his brother had informed him that the contract would be got through the instrumentality of the third accused (Nwakuche).
According to the witness, his brother instructed him to transfer any money paid to his company’s account as would be directed as soon as he was alerted.
He told the court that as soon as he began to receive bank alerts, he informed his brother, who in turn informed the third accused.
Emelano told the court that on June 18, 2015 he received an alert for N14.2 million and a further alert of N21 million, on March 15, 2015 he received an alert for N21 million and on May 4, 2015 he received an alert for N16 million.
He said that he was thereafter instructed to transfer the monies to bank accounts with beneficiaries named as Blocks and Stonez Ltd and Governor Juan.
He informed the court that his company did not execute any contract for NIMASA to have necessitated payment of the various funds.
The witness added that he was also unaware of the nature of the contract for which his brother utilised his company’s account to obtain money from NIMASA.
“I did not benefit anything from these monies paid, I only requested that the sum of N300,000 be left in the account to offset bank transfer charges,” Emenalo maintained.
However, under cross-examination by counsel for the third accused, Mr Lanre Olayinka, the witness stressed that he did not enjoy any benefit from the sums paid into his account.
Olayinka then tendered a statement of account before the witness, and drew his attention to a cheque issued in his name for the sum of N100,000.
Olayinka then posed this question, “Mr Emelano, you claimed you did not benefit from the monies paid into your account, but from the document before you, on March 6, 2015 you issued a cheque in your name for the sum of N100,000.
“If the money left in your account is for bank charges as you claimed, how come you issued a cheque for the amount in your name? What was the purpose of the money?”
At this, the witness responded, “I took transport na.”
Following his response, there was an uproar of laughter in the courtroom.
Justice Ibrahim Buba thereafter informed parties that time had already been far spent.
He consequently, adjourned the case till February 16 for continuation of cross-examination of the witness.
In the 22-count charge, the accused were alleged to have converted to their use, a total of N2.6 billion between December 23, 2013 and May 28, 2015.
The offences were said to have contravened the provisions of sections 15 (1), 15 (3), and 18 (a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2012.
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