#TrackNigeria- Information Minister Lai Mohammed approved payment of N2.5 billion to Pinnacle Communications Limited in accordance with the provisions of the 2012 White Paper on Implementation of the Digital Switch Over (DSO) documents admitted as exhibits at the beginning of the trial of the NBC DG, Malam Ishaq and three others for alleged N2.5 billion fraud before the Federal High Court Abuja.
The court also heard that a total of
N 10 billion was approved for the DSO project by the Federal Government from
which another company CCNL was also paid based on the Minister Lai
Mohammed’s approval. Testifying in the trial to he retiring legal advicer
to the NBC, Alheri Saldu stated the she approved the payment to the company
without a board as acting DG of the NBC.
She also told the court that another
limited liability company set up by the NTA, ITS Limited had earlier been
paid N 1.7 billion by the NBC for the DSO as recomended by the 2012 White
Paper but during cross-examination she could not cite where the White Paper
prohibited similar payment to Pinnacle Communications Limited.
The retiring legal adviser also
denied a statement credited to her in the minutes of an emergency management
meeting held on the request for payment by Pinnacle Communications Limited
saying all over the world where the DSO was implemented government paid for
services rendered to it bùt she did not formally write to disown that portion
of the minutes. On the reference to level playing field for the private signal
distributor in the White Paper, Alheri Saidu said it could mean not putting the
private signal distributor at a disadvantage, among other meanings.
Also testifying, Olawale Abiodun Osisanwo, deputy director of finance at NBC told the court that he processed the payment of N2.5billion to Pinnacle Communications Limited after all the necessary documentation was attached and the audit department also passed it for payment. He said although he raised some observations during discussions with the DG and at the emergency meeting held he did not put such observations in writing.
Hearing was adjourned to Thursday
