Benue Senator, Suswam accused of bribing Federal High Court Judge to quash pending EFCC fraud case against him

Gabriel Suswam, former governor of Benue State and serving senator in the 9th assembly has bribed a judge to subvert justice in his favour when the N3.1 billion case fraud case preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) comes up on the July 9 and 10, 2019, SaharaReporters can confirm.

The trial judge Suswam bribed is Justice Ahmed R. Mohammed of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

A top source privy to the transaction told SaharaReporters Suswam gave the judge the equivalent of N500 million (in foreign currency) on the second week of June at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja.

Backstory

The EFCC dragged Suswam to court for selling shares belonging to the Benue State Investment And Property Company and diverting part proceeds of the transaction (N3,111,008,018.51) to a company, Fanfash Resources, with Zenith Bank account number 1013677218.

Investigations revealed that the account belongs to one Abubakar Umar who operates a Bureau de change in Abuja.

The sum was later withdrawn and converted into foreign currencies and handed over to former governor Suswam his house.

Umar’s Testimony

In a statement to the EFCC on November 22, 2017, Umar narrated how he helped the former governor to convert the sum of N3.1 billion into dollars (which amounted to $15.8million), between August and October 2014.

Umar, who is the Principal Witness 4 in the case, said he converted the money and took same to Suswam at his house in Maitama.

He later recanted his testimony telling the court he was offered money to do so by close associates of Suswam forcing the EFCC to declare him a hostile witness.

The businessman said, “In August 2014, my boss, former Governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswan, called me to his house in Abuja and introduced me to a lady whom he never told me her name and asked me to give her my account details, and I did. Mr. Suswan told me that she would transfer money to me and that when I receive alert I should give him the dollar equivalent”.

Umar according to his statement told the court that he handed over the money to Suswan at his house in Maitama, Abuja, adding that “all the times I took dollars to Suswan, I always took different taxis for my security so that nobody would know I am carrying cash or where I am going to”.

He also added that he did not know any security man attached to Suswan’s house as they were always changed. Umar said he used to call Suswan before going to the house so that he can leave his name at the gate.

Umar added that whenever he gets to the house, he does not interact with anyone but remains in the car until Suswan comes out, takes him to a private part of his house where he gives him the money in dollars. He added that Suswan does not acknowledge the receipt of all the monies in writing.

Habitual Briber

SaharaReporters found out that in the same manner in which he bribed Justice Mohammed, Suswam has bribed the Election Petition Tribunal judges in Benue State with N187 million (advance) to dismiss the appeal filed at the tribunal by one Mrs. Mimi Adzakpe Urubibi who contested the Benue North-east senatorial seat on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC) challenging his election to the Senate.

The bribed tribunal judges are, Hon. Justice R. O. Odugwu (Chairman), Justice M. A. Onyetenu (Member) and Justice Esther Tata.

The transaction which took place at Benue hotel was brokered by a People’s Democratic Party governor from the South-east.

The case which made the former governor bribe Justice Mohammed is set to come up July 9 and 10 at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Justice Mohammed is expected according to the agreement of the bribe, to rule in favour of Suswam.