A witness in the ongoing trial of a former governor of Gombe State and
serving senator, Danjuma Goje, Shehu Mohammed Atiku has told a Federal
High Court, Gombe that the ex-governor forged the Resolution of the House
and collected N5bn (five billion naira) facility from Access Bank.
“My Lord, the said resolution did not emanate from the Gombe State House
of Assembly and I was not a signatory to it”, said Atiku, a former Clerk
of the Gombe State House of Assembly and one of the three witnesses called
by prosecuting counsel, Wahab Shitu.
Atiku, while testifying told the court that, “as the Admin Officer of the
House, I chair management committee of the House, keep the record of
House proceedings and maintain its records”.
However, the court had to cut short the proceeding and adjourn for further
hearing owing to the fracas that ensued as suspected political thugs
invaded the court premises and disrupted the proceedings.
The thugs also launched attack on the accused persons and others outside
the court premises during which the second accused person, Aliyu
El-Nafarty and one other person were seriously wounded.
In the melee, vehicles were vandalized including that of the defence
counsel, Paul Erokoro, SAN.
The attack forced the presiding judge, Justice B. O. Quadri to adjourn to
November 25, 2015.
Justice Quadir condemned the attack and directed both counsel to do a
report on what happened which he promised to forward to the
Chief Judge, Federal High Court for necessary action Goje, alongside four
other accused persons are being prosecuted by the EFCC on charges of
conspiracy, money laundering and embezzlement of funds belonging to the
state government.