A compliance officer with Access Bank, Olomotane Egoro, on Tuesday told a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja how a total of N117 million was moved from the accounts of 13 local government areas of Kogi State.
Egoro, who appeared as the seventh prosecution witness (PW7) in the ongoing trial of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, testified before Justice Emeka Nwite that the transactions took place on May 6, 2022.
According to him, on May 6, 2022, there was a total of N117 million from 13 local government areas of Kogi State, namely Yagba East, Omala, Yagba West, Idah, Okene, Ijimu, Olamaboro, Ofu, Okehi, Ogonimangogo, Igalamela Odolu, Ibaji and Dekina.
The witness, who was led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Professor Ken Pinheiro, SAN, further told the court that out of the total amount of inflows from the 13 local government areas, a total sum of N115 million was withdrawn in cash through cheques by one Yakubu Adadenega Siaka.
Bello is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly diverting and misappropriating Kogi State funds amounting to N80.2 billion while serving as governor.
Monday’s proceedings in the case featured the continuation of the cross-examination of the fourth prosecution witness, Mashelia Arhyel, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank, and the testimonies of three other witnesses from Zenith Bank, Ecobank, Keystone Bank and Access Bank.
Arhyel, under cross-examination by defence counsel J. B. Daudu, SAN, confirmed that several cash withdrawals were made from the Kogi State Government House Administration Account by Abdulsalam Hudu and Comfort Olufunke in multiples of N10 million.
He also stated that several hotels, including Idrinana Hotels, Edge Drive Hotels, JF Hotels, May Treasure Resort, Halims Hotels, Nostalgia Suites and Hope Confluence Hotels, benefited from various transactions from the account.
After his testimony, prosecution counsel Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, declined re-examination, and the witness was discharged by the court.
Other witnesses, including Jesutoni Akoni of Ecobank Nigeria Limited (PW5) and Mohammed Bello Hassan of Keystone Bank (PW6), also testified under subpoena, tendering account statements and confirming deposits running into millions of naira.
Egoro rounded off the day’s session by tendering 12 sets of documents on behalf of Access Bank, adding that while some account opening packages could not be retrieved, the bank provided sufficient customer details extracted from its database.
