Court rejects EFCC’s document in ex-NNPC GMD Yakubu’s trial

Justice A.R. Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on
Monday, refused to admit as an exhibit a document tendered by the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the ongoing
trial of a former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Andrew Yakubu, for alleged money
laundering.

The EFCC arraigned Yakubu after its operatives recovered $9,772,
800 and £74,000 from his home in Sabon Tasha area of Kaduna South
local government area of Kaduna State in 2017.

The commission’s counsel, Mohammed Abubakar, had on November 5
tendered a document which the ex-NNPC chief filed at the Supreme
Court to seek an order of stay of execution on a court’s order for
forfeiture of the money.

The prosecution counsel presented the document to counter
Yakubu’s claim that he only got to know from the EFCC that the
recovered money was being kept at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)
office in Kano.

Yakubu’s lawyer, Ahmed Raji (SAN), urged the court not to admit
the document as an exhibit on the grounds that it was not the
certified true copy of his client’s statement

Justice Mohammed, who relied on Section 35 of the Evidence Act
2011, said for such document to be admitted as secondary evidence
it must be certified.

He said: “It is hereby rejected and shall be marked: tendered
and rejected accordingly.”

The judge adjourned further hearing on the matter till January
14.

Justice A.R. Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on
Monday, refused to admit as an exhibit a document tendered by the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the ongoing
trial of a former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Andrew Yakubu, for alleged money
laundering.

The EFCC arraigned Yakubu after its operatives recovered $9,772,
800 and £74,000 from his home in Sabon Tasha area of Kaduna South
local government area of Kaduna State in 2017.

The commission’s counsel, Mohammed Abubakar, had on November 5
tendered a document which the ex-NNPC chief filed at the Supreme
Court to seek an order of stay of execution on a court’s order for
forfeiture of the money.

The prosecution counsel presented the document to counter
Yakubu’s claim that he only got to know from the EFCC that the
recovered money was being kept at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)
office in Kano.

Yakubu’s lawyer, Ahmed Raji (SAN), urged the court not to admit
the document as an exhibit on the grounds that it was not the
certified true copy of his client’s statement

Justice Mohammed, who relied on Section 35 of the Evidence Act
2011, said for such document to be admitted as secondary evidence
it must be certified.

He said: “It is hereby rejected and shall be marked: tendered
and rejected accordingly.”

The judge adjourned further hearing on the matter till January
14.