Yahaya Bello: Bank official okays transactions, says no trace to ex-gov

The 10th Prosecution Witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Olomotane Egoro, on Tuesday maintained that the transactions being examined in the ongoing alleged money laundering trial of the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, were within the threshold prescribed by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

He also noted that the names of the first defendant, former Governor Yahaya Bello; and the second defendant, Shuaib Oricha, did not appear in any of the records of transactions.

Egoro, a compliance officer with Access Bank Plc, said during the continuation of cross-examination by the defendant’s counsel, Paul Daudu, SAN, that there was no Post No Debit instruction against the account being tendered as evidence.

He confirmed that the first entry in the 14th column of Exhibit AP reflected an inflow of N20,000,000 for the supply of educational materials.

The witness said he would not know whether one Siyaka Yakubu whom the prosecution drew his attention to, during his examination-in-chief, was a signatory to the account or not.

Egoro, when asked, said he could not confirm what certain transfers done on August 10, 2022, between Fazab Business Enterprise and Abba Adaudu; and September 13, 2022, between Fazab and Ejadams Essence Limited, were meant for.

The Defendant’s Counsel asked, “You do not also know the nature of the business relationship between Abba Adaudu and Fazab Business Enterprise?”

“No, my Lord,” the witness responded.

He was then referred to Exhibit AR, which he confirmed as the account opening package for E‑Traders International Limited, from January 1, 2018, to December 21, 2022.

He confirmed that the account was opened at the Maraba branch of Access Bank but admitted that he could not say whether one Jamilu Abdullahi was a signatory or not.

The witness, who said, at the last hearing, that he had been working with Access Bank since May 2023, noted that there was no court order restricting operations on the particular account before him but that a Suspicious Transaction Report was made.

He, however, admitted that the STR was merely a suspicion that required further investigation.

After a brief recess, Justice Maryann Anenih adjourned to Wednesday, March 11, for continuation of cross-examination and trial.

The 10th Prosecution Witness had confirmed, at the last hearing, that one Aminu Jimoh Olanrewaju, who was earlier said to have made withdrawals from the Kogi State Government House Administration Account was one of the signatories of the account.

He added, on cross-examination, that from the details in the account opening package, Olanrewaju was a civil servant and Director of Accounts.

The witness said, being an Access Bank official, he was not privy to the workings of the Kogi Government House Account and could not state what the funds that were withdrawn were meant for except for those that were detailed in the transactions.