Property fraud: Senators Ndoma, Jibrin rented Umar’s property for N25m annually

A prosecution witness in the on-going trial of a former Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal, Mohammed Dikko Umar (rtd), told a Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday, that former Senator Victor Ndoma Egba and Kano lawmaker, representing Kiru/Bebeji federal constituency and former Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin rented apartment belonging to the former Air force chief in the sum of N25 million per annum.

The 8th prosecution witness, Abubakar Abdulkadir, who described himself as Estate Agent and Valuer, said both men paid the said sum for the apartment located at No. 14 Macedonia Close, Maitama, Abuja, for a period of one year before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) sealed the property under investigation.

Abdulkadir, who said he managed the property on behalf of another company, Stycon Properties, which he was in partnership with said he never knew the property belonged to AVM Umar until the EFCC sealed it.

Led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, the witness said: “I managed the property from October 15th, 2011 till December 31, 2016. I manage, let it out to tenants, collect rents and carry out maintenance. My first tenant was Senator Victor Ndoma Egba. He paid N25m per annum for the apartment.

“I paid the money into accounts given to me by my partner, Chuka Odjimbu.

“The second tenant was a corporate body known as Grey Forest Ltd. But Senator Abdulmumin Jibrin came and said he wanted to use it as a guest house. The company paid N50m for two years and I paid the money into the accounts given by my partner, Chuka Odjimbu.”

The witness disclosed that he got to know the real owner when the EFCC marked the house as under investigation saying, “My attention was drawn to it by Jubrin and asked me who the landlord is. I told him the landlord was not in the country because we used Stycon as the landlord, which belongs to Chuka.

“To my surprise, Jubrin told me that AVM Umar was the owner of the property. He said he went to find out why the house was marked and that his friends in EFCC told him. I reached out to Chuka, who confirmed it was Umar who owned the property,” Abdulkadir said.

Thereafter, counsel to the defendant, Hassan Liman (SAN) moved a motion praying the court to grant the defendant leave for medical vacation.

The prosecution did not oppose the motion, which the trial Judge, Justice Nnamfi Dimgba granted and ordered that Umar’s international passport be released to enable him to travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the checkup.

The court adjourned till February 5 and 6, 2019 for the continuation of trial.

Umar is standing trial on a seven-count charge bordering on alleged financial misappropriated of funds, amounting to N9.7bn.

The money is said to belong to the Nigeria Air Force between 2010 and 2012.

Credit: Nigerian Tribune