The trial of a former Governor of Kwara State, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, and his former Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Demola Banu, over alleged diversion of the State Universal Basic Education Fund has suffered a set back as a witness to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abubakar Hassan, exonerated the duo from the alleged diversion of the SUBEB funds in the State.

In his evidence, Hassan, an Assistant Director of Finance, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) in Abuja, stated that the duo are not signatories to the account of SUBEB and cannot be liable for the missing fund.

The Ilorin zonal Directorate of the EFCC had dragged the duo before an Ilorin, Kwara State High Court for alleged misappropriation of UBEC’s matching grants of N5.78 billion between 2013 and 2019. Both defendants had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

At the resumed hearing of the case on Tuesday, Hassan, told the court during cross-examination that, “SUBEB is an autonomous agency with a separate board having executive chairman as its head”.