The trial of Fatimoh Yusuf, the immediate past Chairperson, Kwara State Scholarship Board and two others before the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin over allegedly diverting N50 million meant for payment of 2018 students’ bursary, commenced on Wednesday.
The the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Yusuf, Fatai Lamidi, Secretary of the Board, and Stephen Ajewole, the board’s Accountant on a seven-count charge of conspiracy and fraud.
They have, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
At the resumed hearing of the matter on March 4, 2020, the EFCC called its first witness, Isiaka Adeshina.
Adeshina, an executive member of the National Association of Kwara State Students, told the court that the board’s officials listed his name as one of the beneficiaries of the 2018 bursary award at the University of Ilorin, but he never received any money.
While being led in evidence by prosecuting counsel, O.B. Akinsola, he narrated how he was shortlisted as number 725 on the list of beneficiaries of the 2018 bursary award released by the Kwara State Government.
He said, “Each student was entitled to the sum of N5,000, but to my surprise when I was invited by the EFCC, they confronted me with some documents especially the payment vouchers.
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“I found my name among those that have been paid; they signed against my name as a beneficiary, but the signature is not mine, my signature was forged.
“When they started the payment, they did not pay up to 350 students.
“They told us they were going for Jumat Prayer, but when they came back they said the money had finished.”
The trial judge, Justice Sikiru Oyinloye has fixed March 11 for the continuation of trial.
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