The trial of former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, over alleged N110.4 billion fraud witnessed the presentation of additional bank records by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, Abuja, yesterday.
Bello is standing trial alongside Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu on 16 charges bordering on criminal breach of trust and money laundering. The case is being heard by Justice MaryAnne Anenih.
At the resumed proceedings, the prosecution, led by Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), continued the cross-examination of the sixth Prosecution Witness (PW6), Mashelia Bata, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank. Defence counsel to the first and second defendants, Joseph Daudu (SAN), questioned the witness on entries contained in Exhibit S1, a statement of account earlier tendered in evidence.
PW6 explained that the “description” column in the statement reflected details of transactions, citing entries including a N10 million cheque issued to Hudu on January 20, 2016, and another cheque payment of N2,454,400 to Halims Hotels and Tours, Lokoja. The witness, however, maintained that he did not know the purposes for which the funds were used.
Daudu also drew the witness’ attention to Exhibit X1, identified as the account opening documents of a company account domiciled at Zenith Bank’s Lokoja branch. The witness testified on many inflows and outflows in December 2016, including a N74.37 million credit from the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service and cheque of N10 million to Mohammed Jami’u Sallau.
The prosecution also called PW8, Gabriel Ocha, a compliance officer with FCMB, who tendered documents relating to Kunfayakun Global Limited covering 2018 to 2024.
He testified on transactions including a N30 million debit to the American International School and several N10 million web transfers and NIBSS inflows on November 1, 2021.
Thereafter, PW9, A.D. Ojoma, a compliance officer with Sterling Bank, tendered the statement of account of Bespoke Business Solutions Limited. He identified several large credit entries, including payments from the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service running into hundreds of millions of naira in 2019.
Justice Anenih adjourned the matter till Friday, January 16, 2026, for continuation of trial.
