The Third Prosecution Witness, PW3, Umar Hussein Babangida in the ongoing trial of former Minister of Power and Steel, Olu Agunloye on Wednesday, told a Federal High Court, sitting in Apo, Abuja that Agunloye admitted in his extra-judicial statement to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC that he knew the owner of Sunrise Power Transmission Company Limited, Leno Adesanya to whom he awarded the contract before he was appointed Minister of Power.

The sitting is presided over by Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie.

The former minister is facing prosecution on an amended seven-count charge, bordering on official corruption and fraudulent award of Mambilla Power Project contract to the tune of $6billion (Six Billion United States Dollars) to Sunrise Power Transmission Company Limited.

Asked under cross-examination by defence counsel Adeola Adedipe, SAN, to state if the former minister knew Leno Adesanya, the owner of Sunrise Power Transmission Company Limited to whom he awarded the $6billion Mambilla Power Project before his appointment as Minister for Power, the witness, an investigator with the EFCC replied “Yes my lord, it is contained on the right side of Page 4, line 11 of the statement.” Reading from the defendant’s extra judicial statement, dated May 16, 2023 and marked Exhibit 3O, the witness disclosed that the defendant wrote, “I have known Leno Adesanya or rather I know of him before I became minister. I have never met him before he came to the ministry in 2002 to push for the Mambilla project which started in 2000.”

When asked if he knew the defendant personally, he replied in the negative, stating that his knowledge of Agunloye was official in the course of carrying out his duties.

Justice Onwuegbuzie adjourned the matter till March 11, 12, 16, 2026 for continuation of hearing.