Abuja — A Federal High Court in Abuja was on Friday told by a prosecution witness and the Investigation Police Officer (IPO) that investigated the alleged N800 million fraud suit filed by the Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro, against one Matthew Sonoma (alias Perekabowei Ogah) that the former Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Sam Edem, did not pay anymoney into the account of the accused.

The accused, who claimed to be a native doctor, was last year arraigned on a 15-count charge of fraud and obtaining by false pretence to which he had pleaded not guilty to all the charges. His arraignment followed a petition by the former NDDC chairman.

The prosecution witness, Solomon Aizeghowa, who was being cross examined by the counsel representing the accused, Albert Akpamuje, admitted that there is nowhere in Edem's statement that he mentioned any name through which he paid any money to the accused.

The witness also told the court that he stopped further investigation into the matter following the withdrawal letter dated July 8, 2008 brought by the complainant to discontinue the matter.

Aizeghowa told the court earlier that one Peter Abang (ASP) was attacked and two of his teeth were removed in the course of investigating the matter. He added that three vehicles were recovered from the accused, but were returned to him since the date of acquiring the cars did fall within the period of transaction between the complainant and accused.

According to him, the accused could not produce a registration certificate to that effect, but the defence counsel tendered as exhibit a membership certificate issued to the accused by the United Association of Traditional Doctor in Delta State.

It would be recalled that Sonoma was alleged to have duped Edem of huge sums of money under the pretext of being a herbalist, but Edem, who appeared during the last sitting of the court as witness, said the accused was introduced to him as a pastor.

Following the scandal, government had suspended Edem for allegedly spending N270 million on rituals.

He, alongside two others that are still at large, are principal suspects in the scam.

Justice Gabriel Kolawole had earlier granted the accused bail in the sum of N5 million with two sureties each in like sum and also ordered that one of the sureties must have a landed property in Abuja and must be a civil servant on grade level 16 and above. The sureties, he added, must deposit their two recent photographs each with the court.