Prof. Benjamin Ogunbodede, former Director of Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), has confessed before a court that he gave N50 million to some committee members of the National Assembly on Agriculture.
Prof. Ogunbodede is standing trial before a Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan over alleged N177 million hazard allowance fraud.
He made the revelation while testifying before Justice Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel. Prof. Ogunbodede named one Mr Makanjuola, the then house committee chairman on agriculture, as one of the recipients of the N50 million gratifications.
He has however refused to mention names of other members of the committee, Senate members and officials of the Ministry of Finance, who received the N50 million gratifications.
Ogunbodede stated that the sum served as a thank you gesture to the NASS members and others who facilitated the quick release of N606 million, which was the school’s grant from the Federal Government.
“Makanjuola was one of the House of Representatives members from the South-West on the committee who was paid the gratification,” the ex-director said.
The former IAR&T boss further confessed that the school did not actually raise fund from philanthropists contrary to his earlier testimony in court.
Tendering the earlier statement which Ogunbodede had made before the EFCC, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, counsel to EFCC, contended that the witness lied when he told the court that he raised money from the friends to execute some projects in the school.
The court also admitted in evidence many documents by various panel of enquiry that had indicted Ogunbodede.
However, Mr Tunde Olupona, the defense counsel, had opposed some of the submissions made by the prosecution.
Ayo-Emmanuel, however, adjourned the matter till April 7 for continuation of trial.
