Abba Moro’s trial: Fresh detail emerge on immigration recruitment scam
– The trial of the former minister of interior Abba Moro was earlier stalled due to the absence of the defense counsel.
– The witness revealed that the second defendant in the matter, a former permanent secretary at the ministry of interior Anastasia Nwobia was not involved in the scam
Former minister of interior Abba Moro
The first prosecution witness in the trial of former minister of interior Abba Moro has said that the then former permanent secretary was not involved in the Nigerian Immigration Service recruitment deal.
Testifying in court on Wednesday, September 29, the former comptroller general of immigration David Paradang said the permanent secretary Anastasia Nwobia was not involved in the botched immigration contractual agreement.
While he was being cross examined by counsel to the second defendant, Paradang said: “Now I know. If she left in July, I agree that she had left the Ministry before the implementation began.”
The former comptroller general also said Nwobia and the deputy director in the ministry then Felix Alayabami were also not signatory to the deal.
He said Nwobia was transferred three months before the implementation process for the recruitment exercise began at the ministry.
Moro and three others – including a company, Drexel Limited – are facing trial over a botched immigration recruitment exercise that took place in March 2014.
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The accused persons are accused of having scammed 676,000 job applicants of N676 million having charged each job seeker N1000 for the recruitment form.
Earlier at the resumed trial today, September 29, Yusuf Aliyu for the prosecution informed the court that the matter was adjourned to today, September 29 for the continuation of cross examination of the witness.
But upon this information, James Odiba, holding brief for the second defendant’s counsel prayed the court to stand down the matter.
He said his boss was caught up with something and was on his way to join in the matter.
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To this, the judge over the matter Nnamdi Dimgba called on the third defendant’s counsel to go on with cross examination.
But F. C. Igbe representing the third defendant said it will be important that things be done orderly.
He also aligned his opinion to the submission of the second defendant’s lawyer that the matter be stood down.
Having heard that and got no objection from the prosecution, Dimgba stood down the matter to 11 am for continuation of cross examination of the former comptroller general of Nigerian Immigration Services David Paradang.
It was after hearing the matter at 11 am that the judge adjourned to Friday, September 30, for continuation of cross examination by counsel to the third defendant Paul Erokoro.
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