The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday tendered additional bank records as evidence in the ongoing trial of Yahaya Bello, former Kogi State Governor, over alleged financial crimes amounting to N110.4 billion.
The trial, which resumed before Maryanne Anineh, Justice of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Maitama, Abuja, saw the anti-graft agency lead compliance officers from multiple commercial banks to detail large inflows and withdrawals linked to government accounts, security votes and private companies allegedly connected to the case.
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.
At Thursday’s proceedings, prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, told the court that the matter was slated for the continuation of cross-examination of Prosecution Witness Six (PW6), Mashelia Arhyel Bata, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank.
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Under cross-examination by counsel to the first and second defendants, J.B. Daudu, the witness explained the structure of the Zenith Bank statement of account admitted as Exhibit S1, noting that the “description” column reflected the nature of each transaction.
He drew the court’s attention to an entry dated January 20, 2016, showing a cheque payment of N10 million to Abdulsalami Hudu, as well as another cheque payment of N2.45 million to Halims Hotels and Tours, Lokoja.
However, the witness said he could not determine the purpose for which the funds were utilised.
Daudu also questioned the witness on Exhibit X1, identified as the account opening documents of a company domiciled at Zenith Bank’s Lokoja branch.
When directed to entries on December 6, 2016, the witness confirmed a credit of N74.38 million from the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service, followed by a N10 million cheque payment to Mohammed Jami’u Sallau.
According to him, the narration on the statement did not disclose the purpose of the payment, adding that he could not infer how the funds were eventually spent.
Counsel to the third defendant, Z.B. Abbas, later cross-examined the witness and confirmed that all withdrawals from the Government House account were made by cheque and duly signed by authorised signatories.
According to a statement by Dele Oyewale, EFCC’s Spokesman, the witness also confirmed that the third defendant was introduced to the bank as an accountant.
An attempt by Abbas to suggest that the third defendant was merely carrying out his official duties drew an objection from Pinheiro, who argued that the witness was not competent to testify on the scope of civil service functions.
Anineh upheld the objection.
The witness further disclosed that the Government House account had three authorised signatories: Chris Onyepola, Permanent Secretary; Onyechukwu Daniel L., Chief Accountant; and Abdulsalami Hudu, Accountant.
He detailed several inflows in 2016, including N60 million received in six tranches described as payments for a Police Reform Programme or security fund, as well as multiple N50 million transfers with similar narrations.
He told the court that the inflows were followed by withdrawals by the third defendant.
The witness also identified transactions described as “His Excellency Special Sec Vote” and confirmed that large inflows and withdrawals occurred between August and September 2016.
He noted that abbreviations such as “sec” were not standard Zenith Bank terminology and that he could not interpret their exact meaning.
He also clarified that the first defendant was not the sole operator of the Government House account.
With no re-examination by the prosecution, PW6 was discharged.
The EFCC then called Prosecution Witness Seven (PW7), Mohammed Hassan, an executive trainee with Keystone Bank, who appeared pursuant to a subpoena.
Led in evidence by Kayode Enitan, the witness tendered the subpoena, a certificate of identification and the statement of account of Dantata and Sawoe Construction for the period between January 1 and December 31, 2021.
The documents were admitted in evidence despite objections from the defence.
Hassan testified that the account statement contained seven columns and identified multiple credits of N10 million each between February 17 and February 22, 2021.
He explained that Maigari Murtala transferred N10 million in six tranches on February 17, totalling N60 million, while Yusuf Mubarak made additional transfers that brought the total inflow to N100 million.
Under cross-examination, the witness admitted that he was not the account officer of the company, did not know the account signatories and was in court solely to comply with the subpoena.
The prosecution also called Prosecution Witness Eight (PW8), Gabriel Ocha, a compliance officer with First City Monument Bank (FCMB), who tendered bank documents relating to Kunfayakun Global Limited covering transactions from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2024.
Ocha testified that on November 1, 2021, N30 million was debited from the account of Kunfayakun Global Limited in favour of the American International School for Abdul Bashir.
He also identified three web transfers of N10 million each credited from Haruna Gana and Haruna Gaddafi on the same day, as well as a NIBSS transfer of N25.96 million from Behamas Global Ventures.
He further told the court that on November 2, 2021, additional transfers, including N10 million and over ₦8 million, were made to Zadakkayak Global.
Prosecution Witness Nine (PW9), A.D. Ojoma, a compliance officer with Sterling Bank, was also called to testify.
He tendered statements of account for Bespoke Business Solutions Limited and identified several large credit entries, including payments described as commissions and contractor payments from the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service.
According to the witness, the account recorded credits of over N57 million on March 5, 2019; N138.49 million on April 3, 2019; N136.81 million on May 3, 2019; N183.65 million on August 6, 2019; and N242.25 million on August 15, 2019, the latter described as payment for the purchase of OBPEH.
At the close of proceedings, Anineh adjourned the case to Friday, January 16, 2026, for the continuation of trial.
