Proceedings in the ongoing trial-within-trial involving former Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, took a dramatic turn on Tuesday as a defence witness admitted signing the ex-AGF’s statement but raised doubts over how it was obtained.
Idris is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside Geoffrey Olusegun Akindele, Mohammed Kudu Usman, and Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited before Justice Yusuf Halilu at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Maitama, Abuja.
The defendants are facing a 14-count charge bordering on alleged stealing and fraudulent diversion of public funds to the tune of ₦109.5 billion. They have all pleaded not guilty.
At the resumed hearing, the second defence witness, Haruna Alabi, contradicted claims that Idris’ statement was taken in the presence of his lawyer, telling the court during cross-examination that he merely signed the statement dated May 17, 2022.
Alabi, a retired Director of Legal in the Office of the AGF, said he visited Idris at the EFCC facility on the said date alongside other directors “out of moral and empathy,” noting that Idris was already in EFCC custody at the time.
“He was and was not the AGF because technically he had left office. He was in the custody of the EFCC,” the witness said.
According to him, although he was the only lawyer among those who visited, he was not formally invited by the EFCC and had no prior interaction with investigators before the visit.
Alabi told the court that he signed at the back of Idris’ statement but did not participate in its preparation. However, he later contradicted himself when asked if Idris wrote the statement, responding, “I don’t know.”
The inconsistency became more pronounced when the prosecuting counsel, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, directed him to read a portion of the endorsement he made, where he had stated that the statement was “taken freely” and that he signed it.
In his explanation, Alabi maintained that he did not lie by earlier stating he was not present when the statement was made, even as he admitted that, as a senior lawyer, he could change what he had written.
Earlier in his evidence-in-chief led by defence counsel, Kanayo Okafor, Alabi had identified his name and signature on Exhibit B3, being the statement of Idris dated May 17, 2022.
The trial-within-trial was initiated following an application by Idris’ lead counsel, Chief Chris Uche (SAN), who alleged that the statements made by his client were obtained under deception and inducement.
Following an application for adjournment by the defence to enable the presentation of additional witnesses, Justice Halilu adjourned the matter to June 24, 2026, for continuation of the trial-within-trial.
The court also directed the first defendant to ensure that all remaining witnesses are present at the next hearing.
