Taiwo Jones tells FCT High Court that local governments transferred between N6 billion and N8 billion to his company’s account, while admitting that he cannot ascertain the total amount; court adjourns hearing until November 2.
A1NEWS International
ABUJA, October 22, 2026.
An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of former Taraba State Governor Darius Ishaku and a former Permanent Secretary in the state’s Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Bello Yero, has told the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama that he could not determine the total amount of money transferred into his company’s account by local governments in the state.
The witness, Taiwo Jones, disclosed this on Thursday while being cross-examined by Chris Umar, SAN, counsel to the first defendant, Ishaku.
Jones, the third prosecution witness (PW3), identified himself as the Chief Executive Officer of P3 Cornerstone, a company whose account, according to his testimony, received various transfers from local governments in Taraba State.
Although he said he could not establish the aggregate value of the transfers, the witness told the court that he could recall transactions involving amounts ranging between N6 billion and N8 billion.
The testimony was given in the trial of Ishaku and Yero, who are facing a 15-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, conspiracy and conversion of public funds involving approximately N27 billion.
The defendants, however, have pleaded not guilty to the charges, filed under suit number FCT/HC/CR/792/2024.
Witness Cannot Establish Total Transfers
During cross-examination, Jones acknowledged that various sums of money were transferred into P3 Cornerstone’s account by local governments in Taraba State.
He told the court that the transfers were made based on instructions but admitted that he could not ascertain the total amount received.
“Various amounts of money were transferred into this account (P3 Cornerstone’s account) by local governments in the state (Taraba) based on instructions. I cannot ascertain the total amounts,” the witness said.
He added: “The only ones I can (ascertain) is between N6 billion and N8 billion.”
The testimony placed the company’s account and the transactions conducted through it at the centre of the ongoing cross-examination.
However, the witness’s inability to establish the aggregate amount means that the precise total of the transfers he described was not determined by his testimony during the proceedings.
Jones Says Transfers Were Made on Instructions
Jones further told the court that he transferred various sums of money to one Prince Onwuzulike, whom he said he did not know through any personal relationship.
According to the witness, Onwuzulike was a personal assistant to the second defendant, Yero, who was the former Permanent Secretary in the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Taraba State.
Jones maintained that the deposits and withdrawals he carried out through P3 Cornerstone’s account were made on the instructions of Yero.
However, when asked by Umar to produce evidence of the directives, the witness said the instructions were given verbally.
He acknowledged that he had no recordings of the alleged verbal instructions from the second defendant.
The testimony highlighted a key evidentiary issue in the proceedings: the nature of the instructions under which the transactions were conducted and the documentary or other evidence available to establish them.
The court’s determination of the significance of the testimony will depend on the evidence presented and the applicable legal standards.
Witness Explains Relationship with Octopus Farms
The prosecution witness also answered questions concerning Octopus Farms Nigeria Limited, another company whose account he had previously told the court he operated alongside Yero as a signatory.
Jones explained that Octopus Farms had been established in 2014, before he joined the Taraba State Government’s employment in 2015.
He said he and Yero were involved in farming and the buying and selling of grains through the business.
The witness confirmed that he conducted various transactions through the company’s account between 2019 and 2022 while serving as an employee of the Taraba State Government.
Jones further acknowledged the possibility that he had transferred money from P3 Cornerstone’s account to that of Octopus Farms.
“All the things I did with this account were based on instructions. It is possible that I might have transferred money from P3 Cornerstone to Octopus’ account,” he told the court.
His testimony introduced questions concerning the movement of funds between the two companies, although the precise amounts involved in any such transfers were not established in the account of the proceedings provided.
Defence Seeks Forensic Examination of Transactions
Following the cross-examination, Umar applied for an adjournment to enable the defence to conduct a forensic analysis of the transactions under examination.
The application came after the witness’s testimony concerning the transfers into P3 Cornerstone’s account, his inability to determine their total value and his assertion that the transactions were conducted on instructions.
A forensic examination could assist the defence in scrutinising the relevant financial records and establishing the nature, timing and amounts of the transactions under review.
The outcome of any such examination, however, was not disclosed during the proceedings reported.
Justice Sylvanus Oriji subsequently adjourned the case until November 2, 2026, for the continuation of the cross-examination of Jones.
Conclusion
The latest proceedings in the N27 billion Taraba State funds trial have focused attention on financial transfers involving P3 Cornerstone and Octopus Farms Nigeria Limited, as well as the instructions under which the witness said he conducted the transactions.
Jones’s inability to ascertain the total amount transferred into P3 Cornerstone’s account, his reference to transactions estimated at between N6 billion and N8 billion, and his admission that the alleged instructions were verbal formed key aspects of his testimony.
The defence’s request for a forensic examination of the transactions signals further scrutiny of the financial records as the trial continues.
The next hearing is scheduled for November 2, when the court is expected to resume the cross-examination of the third prosecution witness.
The allegations against Ishaku and Yero remain before the court. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty, and the prosecution’s allegations have yet to be determined by the court.
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