By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

ABUJA—A bank official, Olabode Farinuola, yesterday told the Federal High Court in Abuja that cousin to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Robert Azibaola, who is facing trial over alleged $40 million contract scam, was a “high profile networth customer” of the bank.

Farinuola, who is a Compliance  Manager at the bank, insisted that the fund Azibaola allegedly received from office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, through his company’s account, Oneplus Holdings Limited, was inconsequential considering the kind of transactions the firm earlier conducted with the bank.

Azibaola and his wife, Stella, are answering to a seven-count criminal charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, preferred against them.

He testified as the second prosecution witness, PW-2.

While being cross-examined by counsel to the defendants, Mr. Gordy Uche, SAN, the witness, said the level of in-flow of cash into Oneplus and its sister company, Kakatar CE Limited, made Robert and his wife one of the biggest customers of Zenith bank.

Robert-Azibaola

He told the court that the two companies have several big construction projects cutting across the country, especially in Abuja.

“They are net-worth accounts with Zenith Bank Plc. The accounts are very busy as the company is handling several high-profile construction projects for the federal government and its agencies”, he told the court.

He further stated that he does not know the purpose the $40m was paid into OnePlus account by the ONSA, and the purpose to which it was disbursed.

However, Farinuola maintained that the bank complied with all regulations for opening a corporate account for Oneplus Holdings under the Know Your Customer, KYC, principle.

Asked by the defence counsel if, as a compliance officer, the bank ever received any complaint of any form of financial misconduct from any law enforcement agency against the defendants, the witness replied in the negative.

He said the only letter the bank got from EFCC requested for information on the account opening package of Oneplus Holdings.

“No other agency has written to question any financial transaction by OnePlus Holdings”, he stated.

It will be recalled that the witness had in his earlier testimony on  October 6, said he never met any of the accused persons, nor had anything to do with them or their companies.

Led in evidence by EFCC lawyer, Mr. Sylvanus Tahir, the witness said: “On January 22, 2016, we received a letter from EFCC on investigation activities on OnePlus Holdings Limited on the domiciliary account requesting for the account opening documentation, the statement of account, and a certificate of identification, which we accordingly forwarded to EFCC”.

Under cross examination  yesterday, Mr. Farinuola, reiterated that he had never met any of the accused persons in life, and was meeting them for the first time in court.