Abubakar Hassan, a prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara state, on Wednesday, 4 December, 2024 told an Ilorin High Court how N5 billion UBEC funds was allegedly misappropriated under his administration.
The trial of the former governor and his finance commissioner, Ademola Banu, over alleged stealing and mismanagement of public funds to the tune of N5.78 billion got underway on Wednesday before Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High siting in Ilorin.
The former governor and his finance commissioner among other things were accused to have conspired to steal money meant for payment of salaries of teachers working with the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board, UBEC, as well as money meant to provide security and other infrastructural facilities for the people of the state, leading to their arraignment on 21October, 2024 by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
However, the duo pleaded not guilty. Consequently, they were admitted to bail, and the case was adjourned for trial.
At the resumed hearing of the case on Wednesday,4 December, 2024 the EFCC presented its first witness, PW1, Abubakar Hassan, an assistant director of finance, Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC.
While being led in evidence by counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, Hassan told the court that the Kwara State government misappropriated about N5 billion meant to execute projects at primary and junior secondary schools between 2013 and 2015, when Abdulfatah Ahmed held sway as governor.
According to him, “The Matching Grant Funds from the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, is meant to provide certain infrastructural facilities for both students of primary and junior secondary schools.
