RismadarVoice Reporters
October 6, 2026
A prosecution witness in the trial of former Taraba State Governor Darius Ishaku has told an Abuja court that government-related funds were transferred into his personal bank accounts and disbursed on instructions from senior officials during Ishaku’s administration.
Taiwo Jones, an Assistant Cashier with the Taraba State Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, gave the testimony before Justice Sylvanus Oriji of the Federal Capital Territory High Court.
Jones is the third prosecution witness in the case brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission against Ishaku and former Permanent Secretary of the bureau, Bello Yero.
The defendants are facing 15 counts bordering on alleged criminal breach of trust, conspiracy and conversion of public funds estimated at ₦27 billion. Both men have pleaded not guilty.
Led in evidence by prosecution counsel Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, Jones told the court that funds were paid into two of his personal bank accounts, including an account he had opened during his National Youth Service Corps programme.
He said some payments came from government officials, while he could not identify the sources of some other deposits.
According to Jones, Yero, former Director of Finance Babangida Hassan and Chief Cashier John Columba would give him verbal instructions on how money received through the accounts should be disbursed.
The witness cited a November 1, 2019 transaction involving ₦7 million allegedly deposited by Abdullahi Yunusa. He said he was instructed to transfer ₦4 million to Prince Onwuzurike, ₦2 million to a person identified as Musa and ₦1 million to Yunusa.
Jones also testified that another ₦3.5 million entered his account from a source he could not identify and that he was subsequently directed to hand the money to Hassan.
Asked whether all the funds received through his personal accounts originated from Taraba State local governments, Jones said he could not confirm that, adding that he did not know the identities of some depositors.
He told the court that similar transactions were conducted through the account of P3 Cornerstone, a company associated with him.
Jones said whenever funds entered the accounts, he informed his superiors and subsequently received instructions on whether to make transfers or cash withdrawals.
He also identified Dare Lawal, a former aide to Ishaku, as one of the people who collected cash withdrawn from the accounts, adding that some withdrawals were later verified by Yero or the Director of Finance.
The witness distinguished the transactions from payments made to traditional rulers and local government employees, which he said were supported by sub-receipts.
He maintained that many of the instructions relating to the disputed transactions were given verbally rather than through physical payment vouchers.
Earlier proceedings in the trial also heard Jones testify that substantial local government funds passed through P3 Cornerstone’s account. The court has not determined whether Ishaku or Yero is criminally liable for the transactions described by the prosecution witnesses.
Following an application by defence counsel, which was not opposed by the prosecution, Justice Oriji adjourned proceedings for the cross-examination of the witness.
