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How N2bn Was Siphoned From FIRS Under Guise Of Duty Tour Allowance – EFCC Witness

Published

4 years ago

November 24, 2021

Editor

An operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ijeoma Matilda on Wednesday narrated to a Federal High Court in Abuja how N2 billion was allegedly siphoned from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) under the guise of duty tour allowance.

The operative made the revelation while testifying for EFCC in the trial of Emmanuella Eteta Ita, Head of Stakeholders Unit of the FIRS and Surestart School Limited before Justice Folasade Giwa Ogunbanjo.

She told the court that sometime in November 2015, EFCC received an intelligence report alleging that the former Coordinating Director of the FIRS, Mr Peter Hena conspired with the first defendant using the staff of the unit to siphon money from the FIRS through Duty Tour Allowances, DTA, to the tune of over N2bn.

Led in evidence by EFCC lawyer, Mr Ekele Iheanacho, Matilda who is the fourth witness in the trial explained in detail how the anti-graft agency waded into the matter and found a mouth boggling alleged fraud.

“We went ahead to investigate the first defendant, (Emmanuella Eteta Ita), she denied receiving any money from Peter Hena.

“She however admitted that Peter Hena gave her a bag to give to the then EFCC chairman, Mr. Tunde Fowler, the contents of which she said she did not know.

“We further investigated the first defendant’s United Bank for Africa (UBA) salary account, where we discovered various payments from FIRS, for various reasons. We also found out that between 2015 and 2017, she had received a total sum of N277.5m.

“She received another N173, 346,219.50 for DTA and entertainment expenses.

“From the above sum, we discovered that she transferred N145.8m between 2015 and 2017, to the account of the second defendant (Surestart School Limited).”

The witness further disclosed that the first defendant could only account for N32. 4m during reconciliation of her account.

“We also verified some of the receipts, belonging to Lomein Express Ltd and discovered that 26 of the documents amounting to N76.4m were forged as confirmed by the owner of the company.”

Also testifying, the 5th prosecution witness, Mr. Ibom Uche, a Director of Accounts with the FIRS told the court that sometimes in October 2020, the EFCC sent a letter addressed to the Executive Chairman of FIRS, which was minuted to him to certify some documents, which he carried out.

He narrated to the court the procedure for funds approval, processing, and disbursement from his office.

Under cross-examination by Benjamin Ogbayi, counsel to the first defendant and Andrew Hassien, counsel to the second defendant, the witness pointed out that he only worked based on the instructions.

Justice Ogunbajo has however adjourned further hearing to November 26, 2021.

(DAILY POST)

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Judge In Maradona Negligence Case Resigns Amid Scandal

Published

4 hours ago

June 24, 2025

Editor

The Argentine judge who caused the collapse of a trial over the 2020 death of football legend Diego Maradona has resigned, her lawyer said Tuesday.

Julieta Makintach’s involvement in a clandestine documentary about the trial of Maradona’s medical team led to the proceedings being scrapped in May after two months of hearings.

No date has yet been set for a new trial.

“I have the honor of addressing you in my capacity as judge (…)in order to submit my resignation from my position,” Makintach wrote in a letter to the governor of Buenos Aires that was shared by her lawyer.

Makintach was facing impeachment proceedings over her participation in the documentary about the case against seven medical staff accused of manslaughter over Maradona’s death.

Maradona — considered one of the world’s greatest ever players — died in November 2020 at the age of 60 while recovering from brain surgery.

He died of heart failure and acute pulmonary edema — a condition where fluid accumulates in the lungs — two weeks after going under the knife.

Prosecutor say the conditions of his home convalescence were grossly negligent.

Makintach was one of three judges hearing the case.

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Netanyahu Vows To Thwart ‘Any Attempt’ By Iran To Rebuild Nuclear Programme

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4 hours ago

June 24, 2025

Editor

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Tuesday to crush any attempt by Iran to rebuild its nuclear programme in a national address to the country after 12 days of war.

“Iran will not have a nuclear weapon,” Netanyahu said after a ceasefire put a halt to airstrikes by the two countries against each other.

“We have thwarted Iran’s nuclear project. And if anyone in Iran tries to rebuild it, we will act with the same determination, with the same intensity, to foil any attempt,” he added.

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Netanyahu Hails ‘Historic Victory’ In Iran War

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4 hours ago

June 24, 2025

Editor

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday hailed a “historic victory” in his country’s 12-day war against Iran and vowed to prevent Tehran rebuilding its nuclear facilities.

“We have achieved a historic victory,” Netanyahu said in a televised address to the nation after the start of a ceasefire agreed to by both countries.

“Iran will never have a nuclear weapon,” he told viewers in the near-10-minute speech.

“We have thwarted Iran’s nuclear project. And if anyone in Iran tries to rebuild it, we will act with the same determination, with the same intensity, to foil any attempt,” he added.

The head of Israel’s military Eyal Zamir said earlier on Tuesday that its strikes had set back Iran’s nuclear programme “by years” and the campaign against the country was now “entering a new phase”.

Iran said on Tuesday that it was ready to return to nuclear negotiations with the United States as the ceasefire took hold.

But Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country would continue to “assert its legitimate rights” to the peaceful use of atomic power.

Israel’s government said in a statement earlier Tuesday that it had removed the “dual existential threat” of Iran’s nuclear programme and missiles during its strikes.

Netanyahu claimed that Israel’s attack on Iran, named “Operation Rising Lion”, would be “recorded in the annals of Israel’s wars, and will be studied by armies all over the world.”

It included repeated strikes on Iran’s nuclear and missile sites, assassinations of military and domestic security service leaders, as well as the bombing of state media and Evin prison in Tehran.

After the United States joined in the conflict with strikes on Sunday, President Donald Trump said his forces had “totally obliterated” Iran’s main nuclear sites.

Analysts said, however, that it remained unclear whether the strikes had put the nuclear threat out of reach, with the possibility that Iran had moved its stockpiles of highly enriched uranium away from the targeted sites.

Tehran has always denied seeking a nuclear weapon.