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Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja adjourned the alleged money laundering trial of the former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, to January 29, 30, and February 4 and 5 for the continuation of the trial.
The adjournment was granted to allow the prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, to complete the examination of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s seventh witness, Olomotame Egoro.
When the case was called for the continuation of the trial, the prosecution sought to submit documents marked as Exhibits 33 (1–11) and 34 while leading witness Olomotame Egoro, a Compliance Officer with Access Bank, in his testimony.
However, defense counsel, Abdullahi Yahaya, SAN, interjected, pointing out that the exhibit being presented by the prosecution and its witness was unfamiliar to the defendant.
He further contended that the certificate attached to the document submitted to the court, dated the 17th, was signed by one Faruk Idiaro and not the witness present in the courtroom.
He noted that the defendant had received a proof of evidence that did not match what the witness presented.
In response, prosecution counsel Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, stated that while the certificate of identification may differ, the substantive documents attached were indeed the same.
He requested the court to pause the proceedings to allow the defense team to verify that the documents referenced in the certificate of identification were the same as those submitted.
The court took a brief recess and instructed both parties to resolve their discrepancies.
During the examination, witness Egoro confirmed that there were seven columns in the statement of account presented and explained the significance of each column.
He was led through the account statement of the Kogi State Government House Administration covering the period from December 2018 to August 2021.
The witness identified cash payments made on December 21, 2018, to one Aminu J.O., totaling N50 million in installments of N10 million each.
He also highlighted withdrawals in multiples of N10 million made in favor of Abdulsalam Hudu on August 1, 2019.
The prosecution further requested the witness to review Exhibit 33-8, a statement from Fazac Business Enterprise covering the period from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2022.
He identified inflows ranging from N4.49 million to N14.45 million from local governments of the state on May 6, 2022.
On May 9, there were two inflows of N7.12 million and N9.4 million from two local governments, and he also noted the withdrawals from the account.
At this point, Justice Nwite adjourned the case to January 29, 30, and February 4 and 5 for the continuation of the trial.
The fourth prosecution witness of the EFCC, Mshelia Arhyel Bata, reaffirmed at the previous day’s hearing that fund withdrawals by the state government did not violate any banking laws.
During cross-examination before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court on Monday, Mshelia Arhyel Bata, a Compliance Officer with Zenith Bank, reiterated that the former governor's name did not appear as a beneficiary in the account presented as evidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
What were the dates set for the continuation of the trial?
The trial has been adjourned to January 29, 30, and February 4 and 5 for continuation.
Who is the prosecution counsel in this case?
The prosecution counsel is Kemi Pinheiro, SAN.
What was the main argument from the defense counsel?
The defense counsel argued that the exhibit presented by the prosecution was unfamiliar to the defendant and highlighted discrepancies in the documentation.
