Dikki is facing a four-count charge of receiving bribes and abuse of office alongside his company
In a courtroom drama at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court on Tuesday, November 14, 2023, former Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Benjamin Dikki, accused operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of forcing him into a commitment to refund ₦1 billion.
Dikki, facing a four-count charge of receiving bribes and abuse of office alongside his company, Kebna Studio and Communications Limited, testified before Justice Yusuf Halilu.
The charges stem from allegations that he received a ₦1 billion bribe from Bestworth Insurance Brokers for facilitating the approval of outstanding insurance premiums and claims of deceased and incapacitated staff of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).
During a trial-within-trial, Dikki contested the voluntariness of statements allegedly made by him. He revealed to the court that on August 29, 2016, an EFCC operative informed him that the commission was searching for him and had arrested his wife and son, despite not receiving any prior invitation from the anti-graft agency.
Upon agreeing to appear at the EFCC office on September 1, 2016, Dikki claimed he was taken to the team leader, identified as Bashir.
According to Dikki, Bashir asserted that the commission had concluded its investigation and insisted that the only statement he should make was a commitment to refund the ₦1 billion into the account of Kebna Studio.
Despite expressing his reluctance, Dikki stated that the operatives detained him from 6 pm to 7:40 pm, pressuring him to make the commitment.
Dikki told the court that he was neither accompanied by his lawyer, Ali Suberu, nor advised to seek legal representation before making statements.
He further alleged that Bashir later informed him that committing to the refund would lead to his release. Succumbing to the pressure, Dikki claimed he arranged for a ₦50 million payment to EFCC for his freedom, with the funds arriving on Monday, September 5, 2016.
Under cross-examination by EFCC counsel Chris Mshellia, Dikki maintained that he was not arrested by the EFCC. However, he asserted that he wrote statements after being cautioned and claimed he had no choice but to comply with the operatives’ demands. Dikki alleged harassment, psychological torture, and dictation of his statement by the EFCC operatives.
Justice Halilu adjourned the proceedings until January 16, 2024, for the adoption of processes in the trial-within-trial, as the legal drama unfolds in this high-profile case.
