The trial of a former Minister of Power and Steel, Olu Agunloye, over the controversial $6 billion Mambilla Hydropower Project gathered momentum on Wednesday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, as an investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) told the court that the defendant acknowledged prior knowledge of the contractor linked to the project before assuming office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Testifying before Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie at the court\u2019s Apo division, the third prosecution Recognised witness, Umar Hussein Babangida, said Agunloye admitted in an extra-judicial statement that he knew of Leno Adesanya, owner of Sunrise Power Transmission Company Limited, before he was appointed minister.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The former minister is facing an amended seven-count charge bordering on alleged official corruption and the purportedly fraudulent award of the multibillion-dollar Mambilla Power Project contract to Sunrise Power Transmission Company Limited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During cross-examination by defence counsel, Adeola Adedipe, SAN, Babangida confirmed that the defendant\u2019s statement contained an admission regarding his prior knowledge of Adesanya.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYes, my lord. It is contained on the right side of page four, line eleven of the statement,\u201d the EFCC investigator told the court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reading from the statement dated May 16, 2023, which was admitted in evidence as Exhibit 3O, the witness quoted Agunloye as saying: \u201cI have known Leno Adesanya or rather I know of him before I became minister. I have never met him before he came to the ministry in 2002 to push for the Mambilla project which started in 2000.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Babangida further clarified under questioning that he had no personal relationship with the defendant, noting that his interactions with Agunloye arose solely from his role as an investigator handling the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After taking the testimony, Justice Onwuegbuzie adjourned proceedings to March 11, 12 and 16, 2026, for continuation of hearing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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