A compliant officer with First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Olusegun Adesomoju, Monday told a Federal High Court in Lagos how several Abia government funds were paid into the account of Slok Nigeria Limited owned by former governor Orji Uzor Kalu.

Kalu, his company, Slok Nigeria Limited, and his Director of Finance and Accounts, Udeh Jones Udeogu, are being tried before Justice Mohammed Idris led-court, on charges bordering on N2.9 billion fraud by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

They were accused of conspiring to siphon N2.9bn from the account of the Abia State Government.

They all pleaded not guilty.

Yesterday, Adesomoju, who was led-in-evidence by the prosecutor, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), narrated to court how several millions were paid thorough bank drafts into Sloks Nigeria Limited’s account domiciled in Apapa branch of First Inland Bank, between 2001 to 2005.

The witness said between August 16 till December 6, a total sum of N110 million which was paid in tranches of N20 million, N13 million, N17 million, and N40 million.

He also narrated before the court how the some of N200 million, N550 million, N157 million, and N134 million, which were paid in tranches between 2002 to 2005, into the account of Slok Nigeria limited, through bank drafts.

The EFCC had accused Slok Nigeria Limited of conniving with one Emeka Abone, said to be at large, to help Kalu retain the allegedly stolen funds in its accounts, when Slok Nigeria Limited “knew or at least suspected the said Orji Uzor Kalu to have engaged in a criminal conduct.”

The second defendant, Udeogu, was accused of helping Kalu to pay part of the allegedly stolen funds into the account of Slok Nigeria Limited with the defunct FinBank Plc.

The offence is said to be contrary to Section 427 of the Criminal Code Cap 77, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990.