Mr Chinedu Eneanya, an operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Thursday, testified in the ongoing trial of former Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Allison-Madueke, at Southwark Crown Court in the United Kingdom (UK).
Eneanya, who gave his testimony virtually from the Federal High Court in Abuja, said he was an investigator employed by the EFCC.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the proceeding was taken virtually by Justice James Omotosho in accordance with Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act, 2018, and other applicable laws.
The hearing was based on request from the UK Central Authorities for witnesses to testify from Nigeria to the trial court where Mrs Justice Thornton is the presiding judge.
Eneanya, while being led in evidence by the prosecuting lawyer in the UK court, confirmed that the EFCC received a request from the UK authority to review documents recovered during the raid on Alison-Madueke’s residence in Nigeria.
The witness confirmed that the documents were recovered from her house on October 2, 2015.
He also confirmed that Abdulrasheed Bawa was the investigating officer at the time.
Bawa later served as Chairman of EFCC during the late President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
Eneanya equally confirmed that the inventory of the recovered documents was done by Bawa.
After the witness’ evidence-in-chief was taken, the first defendant (Alison-Madueke)’s lawyer cross-examined him.
Under cross-examination, Eneanya was asked if he knew that the documents recovered from the ex-minister’s residence had been seized since 2015, and he responded in affirmative.
When he was asked if he was in EFCC on October 2, 2015, when the search was conducted, the witness responded in affirmative.
“I joined EFCC 20 years ago. I joined April 2006,” he said.
When he was asked if he was part of the team that searched the former minister’s residence, Eneanya responded in the negative.
He said his team started the examination of the documents in late December 2025, following the request.
When he was asked if he had anything to do with the exhibits before this time, the witness said: “No, until last year December.”
He said he was not part of the investigating team that conducted the search on the residence.
He said the team was provided with inventory of the documents in the exhibits by Bawa.
After several questions were put across to the witness, Eneanya was discharged from the witness box.
However, a lawyer from the Federal Ministry of Justice, Olubunmi Ikupolati, told Justice Omotosho that efforts to bring the second witness were unsuccessful.
“My lord, we contacted him since yesterday, but he has not given any definite answer,” he said
The trial was subsequently adjourned.Besides Eneanya’s testimony, Justice Omotosho took evidence from four witnesses on February 25.