THE sixth prosecution witness (PW6), Liyel Imoke, in the trial of a former Minister of Power and Steel, Olu Agunloye, has told the court that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) did not approve the memo presented by the former minister recommending the award of the Mambilla Hydro Power Project contract to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited.
News Point Nigeria reports that Agunloye is facing prosecution on an amended seven-count charge bordering on alleged official corruption and the fraudulent award of the $6 billion Mambilla Power Project contract to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited while he served as Minister of Power and Steel between 2002 and 2003.
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Imoke, while being led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Abba Mohammed, SAN, told the court that he served as minister between August 2003 and November 2006 after succeeding the defendant in 2003.
He recalled being invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), where he made statements on May 24, 2023.
“I was invited to the EFCC Headquarters where I was interviewed in relation to the letter I authored that was addressed to Sunrise Power & Transmission Company Limited on September 3, 2003. I informed them that the Federal Executive Council did not approve the memo that was presented by the defendant recommending the award of contract for the construction of the Mambilla Hydro Electric Power Project to Sunrise.
“My lord, I wrote the letter in response to the letter of enquiry from Sunrise requesting for payment in respect of the contract of Mambilla Hydro Power Project contract which was purportedly awarded to Sunrise by the former minister, the defendant,” he said.
Imoke explained that upon receiving the enquiry, he requested the relevant file and discovered the extract of the minutes of an FEC meeting, among other documents.
“When I received the letter, I requested for the file and while reviewing the file, I saw the extract of the minutes from the FEC meeting amongst other documents. I read the deliberations and the directives of FEC to the then Minister of Power and Steel, (the defendant) which stated that the memo of the defendant be withdrawn and directed the Minister to invite more proposals with a view to ensuring constructive negotiations and to explore various investment options,” he told the court.
Continuing, the witness said: “It was on that basis that I responded to the letter of enquiry and request for payment by Sunrise….. Thereafter I was asked to make a written statement to the EFCC after which I left.”
The witness was shown his statement, marked Exhibit EFCC 3Q, which he made on May 24, 2023, and he admitted making it.
He was also shown the extract marked Exhibit 3K, Exhibit EFCC 3, Annexure C, which he admitted he wrote, signed and addressed to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited, dated September 3, 2003.
During cross-examination by defence counsel, Adeola Adedipe, SAN, Imoke was asked why he did not cancel the contract when he discovered that it had purportedly been awarded.
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He responded that the contract was not approved by the FEC and, therefore, there was no need to cancel what had not been approved.
Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie adjourned the matter until November 2, 4, 9 and 11, 2026, for continuation of the trial.
