Fresh Trouble Hit Yahaya Bello As EFCC Tenders More Bank Records Over Alleged N110.4billion Fraud
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday tendered additional bank records before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja as the trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, over an alleged ₦110.4 billion fraud continued. Bello is standing trial alongside Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu on a 16-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and money laundering. The anti-graft agency accuses the defendants of diverting public funds running into billions of naira during Bello’s administration. At the resumed hearing before Justice Maryanne Anineh, prosecution counsel Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), told the court that the session was for the further cross-examination of Prosecution Witness Six (PW6), Mashelia Arhyel Bata, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank. Under cross-examination by J.B. Daudu, SAN, counsel to the first and second defendants, the witness was referred to Exhibit S1 and asked to clarify his earlier statement that the account statement contained eight columns. Bata explained that the “description” column reflected the narration of each transaction. Daudu drew his attention to an entry dated January 20, 2016, which read, “Cq 158 Abdulsalami Hudu for ₦10,000,000,” and another showing, “ZB chq 155 paid Halims Hotels and Tours, Lokoja, ₦2,454,400.” Asked whether he knew the purpose of the payments, the witness replied, “I won’t know the purpose of the ₦10,000,000 collected by Hudu and equally that of Halims Hotels, how it was spent and for which purpose.” The defence further referred to Exhibit X1, which Bata confirmed was the account opening document of a company domiciled at Zenith Bank, Lokoja branch. He identified several transactions, including a December 6, 2016 credit of ₦74,378,483.20 from the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service and a ₦10 million cheque paid to Mohammed Jami’u Sallau, but maintained that the narrations did not disclose the reasons for the payments. Alleged ₦110.4bn Kogi Fraud: EFCC Tenders More Bank Records in Trial of Yahaya Bello The trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello before Justice Maryanne Anineh of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court, Maitama, Abuja continued on Thursday. Counsel to the third defendant, Z.B. Abbas, also cross-examined the witness, who confirmed that withdrawals from the Government House account were made by cheque and duly signed by authorised signatories. He affirmed that the third defendant had been introduced to the bank as a civil servant and accountant. When Abbas suggested that the defendant was merely performing his official duties, Pinheiro objected, arguing that the witness was not competent to testify on that issue. Justice Anineh upheld the objection. The witness listed the signatories to the account as Chris Onyepola, Permanent Secretary; Onyechukwu Daniel L., Chief Accountant; and Abdulsalami Hudu, Accountant. He further testified to several inflows in 2016 described as “security fund” payments, including six tranches of ₦10 million each totaling ₦60 million, as well as other credits of ₦50 million and ₦100 million, followed by withdrawals. After PW6 was discharged, the prosecution called Prosecution Witness Seven (PW7), Mohammed Bello Hassan of Keystone Bank, who appeared pursuant to a subpoena. The court admitted the subpoena, certificate of identification, and the statement of account of Dantata and Sawoe Construction covering January to December 2021. Hassan told the court that the account reflected multiple transfers of ₦10 million each in February 2021, totaling ₦100 million, originating from Maigari Murtala and Yusuf Mubarak. He also identified later transfers to Zadakkayak Global and commission payments amounting to ₦25,959,000. The EFCC subsequently called Prosecution Witness Nine (PW9), A.D. Ojoma, a compliance officer with Sterling Bank, who tendered the statement of account of Bespoke Business Solutions Limited. The witness highlighted major credits from the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service, including ₦138.4 million in April 2019 and ₦136.8 million in May 2019, described as NAFFS Kogi State payments. Further inflows of ₦183.6 million and ₦242.2 million were recorded in August 2019. Following the day’s proceedings, Justice Anineh adjourned the matter till Friday, January 16, for continuation of trial.
