Justice S.C. Oriji of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Maitama, on Monday admitted additional documentary evidence in the ongoing trial of former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, over alleged N2.7 billion fraud.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), prosecuting Sirika alongside his daughter Fatima Sirika, son-in-law Jalal Sule Hamma and Al Buraq Global Investment Limited, is pursuing an amended six-count charge bordering on abuse of office and money laundering.
According to a statement by Dele Oyewale, Head of Media and Publicity at the EFCC, the court proceedings included testimony from the ninth prosecution witness (PW9), a retired General Manager of Administration and Human Resources at the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA).
Led in evidence by EFCC counsel A.O. Atolagbe, the witness confirmed to the court that the third defendant, Jalal Sule Hamma, was employed by the NNRA in November 2021 and resigned after two years, prior to confirmation of his appointment.
The witness disclosed that he had responded to requests from both the EFCC and another agency in the petroleum sector, providing Hamma’s appointment and resignation letters, documents confirming the return of official property and payment in lieu of notice.
The EFCC moved to tender the documents, which were printed on official NNRA letterhead and endorsed by the witness, as exhibits before the court.
However, defence counsels Sanusi Musa (representing Hamma) and M.J. Numa (representing the fourth defendant) objected, citing Section 104 of the Evidence Act.
They argued that the documents were not fully certified and that only the first two pages were marked as certified true copies.
Musa further raised concerns about the origin of one of the letters, noting it came from the “midstream and downstream” sector rather than the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), raising doubts about its admissibility.
In response, Atolagbe maintained that the documents were admissible in their entirety, including attachments, and any procedural deficiencies related to certification could be remedied.
He cited legal precedent from Textile Applied Products Ltd vs H Stephens Ltd to support the argument.
Justice Oriji ruled in favour of the prosecution, stating that the witness had adequately identified the documents during his testimony and that the lack of payment for certification of attachments was insufficient to bar admissibility.
The judge directed the prosecution to ensure payment for certification of the remaining pages and admitted the documents as evidence.
The matter was adjourned to May 6, 2025, for continuation of trial.
The EFCC’s successful inclusion of the new evidence strengthens its case against the former minister and co-defendants, who are accused of misappropriating public funds and awarding inflated contracts during Sirika’s tenure at the aviation ministry.
The trial is expected to continue with further witness presentations and cross-examinations as the Commission seeks to establish its case and secure convictions.
