Brother Exposes How Maina Gave Him N150m Cash To Buy House In Abuja

LAGOS JANUARY 17^TH (NEWSRANGERS)-More revelations were made on Thursday in relation allegation of how former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina allegedly laundered the over N1billion he was said to have diverted.

Khalid Aliyu, who is described as one of Maina’s younger brothers, gave details before a Federal High Court in Abuja, of how Maina allegedly gave him United States dollar equivalent of N150million to buy a property at Life Camp area of Abuja on his behalf.

Aliyu, who spoke while testifying as the fifth prosecution witness (PW5) in the ongoing trial of Maina and a firm, Common Input Property and Investment Limited, on charges of money laundering, said the money, in dollars, was paid in cash to one Alhaji Ali Sani, who sold the property.

Led in evidence by lead prosecution lawyer, Mohammed Abubakar, Aliyu, when asked if he knew Maina (the 1st defendant), said: ” I know one Alhaji Ali Sani.

“The 1st defendant directed me or send me on an errand to one Alhaji Ali Sani for payment of a property located at Life Camp, Abuja.

“The property was at the value of N150 million. The 1st defendant gave me the money cash at his residence in Kado Estate, Abuja, to deliver to Alhaji Sani at his residence.

“The money was in a dollar currency. I delivered the money to Alhaji Ali Sani at his residence.

“He collected, counted and confirmed with his people and handed over the documents of the property to deliver to the 1st defendant,” he said.

Aliyu added that Maina is his brother from the same father and mother.

He said he is a civil servant and once worked with a new generation bank between 2008 and 2012.

Aliyu added: “I was an Executive Assistant as at that time; it is a position of relationship manager in the private banking unit.
“As relationship manager, we managed high network customers, we handled their transactions via telephone calls, text messages or walk-in transaction.

“We have a large lounge where we keep our customers separate from normal savings account holders.”

Aliyu gave details of how a bank account was opened for his sister, Nafisat Aliyu, who testified on Wednesday in the trial, as the fourth prosecution witness (PW4).

He said: “At some point, my brother (Maina) requested me and my colleague, Toyin Meseke, to open a savings account for my sister, Nafisat Aliyu, although she was not aware of the transaction.

“We proceeded to her house at Wuse II at the time, collected the utility bill as part of the requirement to open the account.

“Later, Toyin collected a copy of her international passport from my brother, Maina, to complete the account opening because at the time, Nafisat was supposed to accompany our mother to hospital and her passport and my mother’s passport were with my brother for visa process.

“Toyin completed the account opening form and the account began transaction.
“Later on, my sister, Nafisat, complained to me that she was receiving alert indicating debit alerts. So I ask her to show me and advised her to meet my colleague, Toyin.”

The witness said Toyin Meseke is the one managing the account.

He added: “I am aware of the in-flows and the out-flows in the account. The account, after being registered by Toyin, was placed under my balance sheet in order to boost my balance sheet.”

Aliyu said a company, Cluster Logistics, in which he was also a director, was registered by his friend, Sani Musa, with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to begin a small scale business in addition with the banking job.

He added: “My brother, the 1st defendant, was aware of our intention to start a small scale business.

“The 1st defendant requested we allowed him use the company for official exercise which we agreed to. He directed one Abubakar Mustapha to be a sole signatory.

“Even though Abubakar Mustpha was the identification on the account opening form, the 1st defendant was the signatory.”

The trial resumes on Friday.

The Nation

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