Umar Babangida, a witness of the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission (EFCC), has told a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) high court
in Apo, Abuja, that Olu Agunloye, former minister of power and steel, knew Leno
Adesanya, owner of Sunrise Power Transmission Company Limited (SPTCL), before
the award of the Mambilla power project contract.
Agunloye is standing trial on an amended seven-count charge
bordering on disobedience to presidential directives, gratification, and
forgery before Jude Onwuegbuzie, judge of the FCT high court in Apo.
The EFCC alleged that Agunloye, on May 22, 2003, knowingly
disobeyed a presidential directive issued at the federal executive council
(FEC) meeting of May 21, 2003, by approving a contract with SPTCL for the
construction of the 3,960-megawatt Mambilla hydroelectric power station.
The commission said the action contravenes section 123 of
the penal code.
Under cross-examination by Adeola Adedipe, counsel to
Agunloye, Babangida said the former minister admitted in his extra-judicial
statement dated May 16, 2023, that he knew Adesanya before his appointment as
minister of power.
Reading from the defendant’s extra-judicial statement marked
exhibit 30, the witness quoted Agunloye as saying, “I have known Leno Adesanya,
or rather I know of him, before I became minister. I had never met him before
he came to the ministry in 2002 to push for the Mambilla project, which started
in 2000.”
When asked if he knew Agunloye personally, Babangida said he
did not, adding that his knowledge of the former minister was official, which
began in the course of carrying out his duties.
The judge adjourned the matter till March 11, 12, and 16,
2026, for continuation of the hearing.
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