The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has produced additional bank records in the ongoing trial of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello over alleged financial crimes worth over N110 billion.
Bello is being tried alongside Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu before the Federal High Court in Abuja on 16 charges relating to criminal breach of trust and money laundering.
At Thursday's hearing, the prosecution led by a Senior Counsel of Nigeria (SAN), Kemi Pinheiro, presented Mashelia Arhiel Bata, a compliance officer at Zenith Bank, as one of the six prosecution witnesses for further cross-examination.
During the session, defense counsel Joseph Dawdu questioned the witness on the bank details given earlier by the EFCC, and asked him to explain the transaction entries listed under the “Description” column.
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Bata told the court that the column only shows transaction details and does not reveal the purpose of the payment.
He cited entries dated January 20, 2016, which include a check of N10 million issued to Abdulsalami Hudu and another payment of N2.45 million to Halim Hotels and Tours in Lokoja. The witness said he could not determine what the money was used for.
Asked whether bank records reflected the purpose of other transactions, including several ₦10 million payments made on December 6, 2016, Bata said the statements did not reveal how or why the money was spent.
He noted that one of the entries dated that date showed a credit of N74.37 million from the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service, followed by a check payment of N10 million each to Mohammed Jamiu Sallau.
Bata also identified documents presented as account opening packages for a Zenith Bank account located in Lokoja, which he confirmed was linked to Kogi Government House.
Under cross-examination by counsel for the third defendant, ZB Abbas, the witness confirmed that the withdrawal from the account was made by check and was duly authorised. He also said that Abdulsalami Hudu had posed as a civil servant and accountant at the bank.
Justice Maryanne Anineh adjourned the trial until January 16 for continuation.
