The corruption trial of former Minister of Power, Olu Agunloye, over the alleged fraudulent award of the $6 billion Mambilla Power Project contract resumed on Thursday before Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Apo, Abuja.
During the proceedings, a key prosecution witness strongly defended the integrity of the official documents presented by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The sixth prosecution witness, Iliya John Iyakwari—a former Assistant Director (Legal) in the Federal Ministry of Justice currently serving as an Assistant Legal Adviser in the Federal Ministry of Power—insisted that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) records entered into evidence are authentic.
Under cross-examination by defence counsel Adeola Adedipe (SAN), Iyakwari rejected assertions that an alternative extract of the May 21, 2003 FEC meeting existed outside of the certified document marked “Exhibit EFCC 3K.”
A procedural dispute arose when the defence attempted to confront the witness with a separate document, “Exhibit EFCC 3D.” Prosecution counsel Abba Mohammed (SAN) swiftly objected, citing Supreme Court precedents to argue that a witness cannot be interrogated on a document they did not author or tender.
Agunloye is facing an amended seven-count charge brought by the EFCC, which includes official corruption and the allegedly unauthorized award of the multibillion-dollar Mambilla Power Project to Sunrise Power Transmission Company Limited. Following the conclusion of Iyakwari’s cross-examination, Justice Onwuegbuzie adjourned the trial until July 2, 2026, for the continuation of the hearing.
