Nigeria, Jan. 29 -- The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Gwarimpa, Abuja, heard on Wednesday that former Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige, who is standing trial over alleged N2.2 billion fraud charges, awarded an N80 million renovation contract to a firm that did not participate in the bidding process.

First prosecution witness Pedro Chellen, whose petition triggered Mr Ngige's investigation and trial, said the contract was for the renovation of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Makurdi office.

Led in evidence by prosecution lawyer Sylvanus Tahir, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), the witness, an entrepreneur and project manager of Imanil Haq Nigeria Limited, told the court that his company briefed its lawye...