The EFCC has presented its fifth prosecution witness in the trial of former Power Minister Olu Agunloye over the alleged fraudulent award of the $6 billion Mambilla Power Project contract. The case resumes on June 8
EFCC Presents Fifth Witness in Olu Agunloye’s $6bn Mambilla Power Project Trial
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday continued its prosecution of former Minister of Power, Olu Agunloye, by presenting its fifth prosecution witness in the ongoing trial over the controversial $6 billion Mambilla Power Project contract.
Agunloye is standing trial before Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Apo, Abuja, on an amended seven-count charge bordering on official corruption and the alleged fraudulent award of the multi-billion-dollar Mambilla Power Project contract to Sunrise Power Transmission Company Limited.
The fifth prosecution witness, Iliya John Iyakwari, an Assistant Director of Legal in the Federal Ministry of Justice who currently serves as an Assistant Legal Adviser in the Federal Ministry of Power, told the court that he certified an extract of the minutes of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting of May 21, 2003, following a formal request from the EFCC.
Led in evidence by prosecuting counsel, Abba Mohammed, SAN, Iyakwari explained that the anti-graft agency wrote to the Ministry of Power in June 2023 seeking an extract of the FEC meeting held on May 21, 2003. According to him, the request was addressed to the Permanent Secretary, who subsequently directed the Legal Services Department to retrieve and process the relevant document.
“The Permanent Secretary forwarded the letter to the Legal Service department, requesting the information on the letter. The legal department wrote to the department that handles such to give us the extract and they forwarded the copy of the said extract where my legal adviser asked me to certify the copy and I forwarded the certified copy of the extract using our official letterhead to the EFCC,” the witness told the court.
During the proceedings, Iyakwari identified and confirmed the authenticity of the EFCC’s request letter, which was admitted as Exhibit EFCC 3J, as well as the Ministry of Power’s response, admitted as Exhibit EFCC 3K.
The prosecution is relying on documentary evidence and witness testimonies to establish its case against the former minister in a trial that has attracted significant public attention because of the scale of the Mambilla Power Project and its strategic importance to Nigeria’s electricity sector.
Following the witness’s testimony, Justice Onwuegbuzie adjourned further proceedings until June 8, 2026, when the defence is expected to begin cross-examination of the witness.
