A Federal Court in Abuja has summoned the former minister of
information and culture, Mr. Lai Mohammed for his alleged involvement in the
payment of N2.5bn by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) for the federal
government’s digital switch-over programme.
Spokeswoman for the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), Ms. Rasheedat Okoduwa said the anti-graft agency had filed a 12-count charge before Justice Folashade Ogunbanjo-Giwa, against the director general of NBC, Dr. Ishaq Modibbo-Kawu, the chairman of Pinnacle Communications Limited, Mr. Lucky Omoluwa, and the chief operating officer of the company, Dipo Onifade.
“The former minister’s involvement had come under questioning following discovery by the ICPC during investigations, that a government White Paper that governs the execution of the DSO programme was allegedly flouted by the head of the NBC.
“Mohammed had however admitted in a statement to the commission that he was misled by Kawu, as opined in court by a witness from the ICPC, Osanato Olugbemi.
“Olugbemi, led in evidence by counsel for the ICPC, Henry Emore, also told the court that the payment of N2.5bn from the NBC to Pinnacle Communications Limited as seed grant was suspicious because only government-owned company was approved to benefit from the grant according to the White Paper.
“The court also heard that the processes that led to the final payment of the fund to the private company were shrouded in secrecy as revealed by the minutes of an NBC emergency board management meeting where issues of carriage fees owed Pinnacle and not seed grant was discussed.
“He told the court that 47 suspicious transactions were originated by the chairman of Pinnacle Communications, Omoluwa, immediately after the receipt of the funds on June 2, 2017,” she stated.
Okoduwa also said the transactions included payments of N363 million to one Idowu Olatunde, N274.4 million to one James Segun and N127 million to Dipo Onifade, the Chief Operating Officer of the company.
The ICPC informed the court that Omoluwa refused to explain the reasons for the payments to Olatunde and James when asked by ICPC, but Onifade explained that he received the N127 million as legal fees he rendered to Pinnacle Communications Limited.
“A Bureau de change operator, Salisu Daura, who also testified in court, said he received N167m in two installments of N97m and N70m. Daura added that the sums were converted into $265,000 and $195,735 at the rate of N360 to US dollar, and handed the cash to one Alhaji Sabo, supposedly on behalf of Pinnacle Communications,” Okoduwa further stated.
