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Agunbiade confirmed the letters from the EFCC related to the accounts, marked as Exhibit 1a and 2a, and GTB’s responses, marked as Exhibit 2a and 2b.
Adewale Agunbiade, a key witness in the trial of former Minister of Power and Steel, Olu Agunloye, testified on September 23, 2024, regarding alleged payments amounting to N5.2 million from Jide Sotirin Abiodun of Sunrise Power and Transmission Ltd.
This revelation was made before Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja.
According to Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in a statement on Tuesday, Agunbiade, a Compliance Officer formerly with Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) and currently with Jaiz Bank Plc, provided details during his examination-in-chief by prosecution counsel Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN.
He stated, “On October 2022, GTB received an investigation activity inquiry from EFCC in respect of the account of two customers, Mr Olu Agunloye and Mr Jide Sotirin. My team received the requests on behalf of the bank, following which I generated the statement of account via the system used by me at the time.
I also prepared the Certificate of Identification, following my review of the statement against the records of the bank. I cosigned the cover letter of the responses.”
Agunbiade confirmed the letters from the EFCC related to the accounts, marked as Exhibit 1a and 2a, and GTB’s responses, marked as Exhibit 2a and 2b. He elaborated, “On page two of Exhibit 2b is the statement of Jide Sotirin Abiodun and the Certificate of Identification prepared by me on the statement of the account.
On the 10th of September 2019, there were six transactions. The last five transactions were ATM cash withdrawals of N30,000 (Thirty Thousand Naira) each. The last transaction on 10 August 2019 was a transfer of N3,600,000.00 (Three Million, Six Hundred Thousand Naira) from Sotirin Jide Abiodun to Olu Agunloy.”
Continuing his testimony, he said, “As of 22 October 2019, a record of N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) was transferred from Sotirin Jide Abiodun to Olu Agunloye. On 13 November 2019, a record of N1,121,000 (One Million One Hundred and Twenty-one Thousand Naira) from Leno in favour of Agunloye Olu from Jide Sotirin.
Exhibit 1b is an account opening belonging to Agunloye Olu. On 10 August 2019 was an inward transfer of N3,600,000.00 (Three Million, Six Hundred Thousand Naira) from Sotirin Jide Abiodun. On 22 October 2019, there was an inflow of N500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) from Sotirin Jide Abiodun.
Also on 13th November 2019 was an inflow of N1,121,000 (One Million One Hundred and Twenty-one Thousand Naira) in favour of Agunloye Olu from Jide Sotirin.”
The court adjourned the case until October 21, 2024, for cross-examination.
Agunloye is facing seven charges from the EFCC, which include allegations of official corruption and the fraudulent awarding of the Mambilla Power Project contract worth $6 billion to Sunrise Power and Transmission Ltd.
