Yinka Farounbi’s tenure as NBA chairman was laced with financial sleaze – Witness

IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – “I have documents to show that the tenure of Yinka Farounbi, former chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association(NBA) Ikeja branch was laced with financial impropriety”, a witness has told a Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos.

Thelma Coco Bassey, who served variously as ( Secretary, Finanancial Secretary and Treasurer) of the NBA made the revelation under cross-examination by Olu Daramola, SAN. She told the court, presided over by Justice Mojisola Dada that under Farounbi money spent by the association were not accounted for.

“There are memos to that effect. I have documents to show that during his tenure there were financial impropriety, so I wrote letters to past chairmen who are elders of the bar, drawing their attention to dealings in the bar. I attached memos. Monies were also not accounted for by the second defendant during his regime. I can mention many”, she said.

She was giving evidence in the trial of former chairman of Nigerian Bar Association(NBA), Mr. Adesina Ogunlana, Yinka Farounbi and Kappo Aderinola who were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) on 30 count charge of money launderying and theft of over N20 million belonging to NBa, Ikeja branch. They have pleaded not guilty to the charges

Thelma Coco Bassey testified that the EXCO of Adesina Ogunlana ought to give account in 2017 during the Annual General Meeting(AGM) but that instead of doing that, he organised the AGM for Yinka Forunbi to give account.

“He himself did not give account claiming that his first one year was full of crisis. That account was presented to the house way beyond the time. An account in AGM ought not to be in the next chairman’s administration. Farounbi ought to call AGM and present account before handing over.

“It took one year to present his first account. His second account was rejected. In fact when he wanted to present his second account because of so many financial impropriety, we rejeced it. Mrs Nkechi Ojo, Social Secretary and Olawunmi also rejected it because it was not a true reflection of the accounts. In fact a N450,000 that Farounbi co-signed with the third defendant which was not approved by the EXCO was not in that account. We brought that out. He signed it without our knowledge”, she told the court.

She told the court that the account was presented twice before it was relunctantly accepted by the general house.

The defence team did not succeed in attempt to stop Samuel Daji, counsel to the EFCC from tendering documents to the effects that there were financial impropriety during Farounbi’s tenure. Justice Mojisola Dada adjourned the matter to 21, 22 and 23, October, 2019 for continuation of trial.