I got N3.1bn from Suswam, delivered $15.8m cash to him - BDC operator

A Bureau De Change operator, Abubakar Umar, on Friday, told the Federal High Court in Abuja, how he helped a former Governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, to convert a total sum of N3.1bn to dollar and delivered the equivalent sum of $15.8m cash to the ex-governor, in 2014.

Umar appeared before Justice Okon Abang as the fourth prosecution witness in the trial of the former governor, who is now the Senator representing Benue North-East in the Senate.

Suswam is being prosecuted on money laundering charges along with his then Commissioner of Finance, Omodachi Okolobia.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission accused the two defendants of diverting a total sum of N3,111,008,018.51 belonging to Benue State.

The money was said to be stolen from the proceeds of the sale of shares owned by the Benue State government.

Led in evidence by the lead prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs SAN, Umar said on Friday that a total of N3.1bn was paid into the account of his firm, Fanfash Resources, on the instruction of the former governor.

According to him, Suswam had asked him to give the details of his bank account to a woman he met with the ex-governor during their first meeting at the ex-governor's residence in Maitama, Abuja.