Witness Admits Yahaya Bello not Linked with Kogi LGs Contract Awards

Alex Enumah in Abuja

A witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in the alleged money laundering trial of ex-governor of Kogi State, Mr Yahaya Bello, has admitted that the name of the former governor did not appear, either as beneficiary or signatory to any of the contracts awarded by local government councils in Kogi State, under his administration.

The witness, Olomotane Egoro, who is also the seventh prosecution witness (PW7) of the EFCC, stated this when cross examined on the exhibits tendered by EFCC in its bid to establish allegations of corruption and money laundering against Bello.

Egoro, a staff of Access Bank Plc, also admitted that no transaction in Exhibit 33(8) (statement of accounts) mentioned the name: Yahaya Adoza Bello.

At the resumed trial on Thursday, the witness was taken through bank accounts of some companies including E. Traders International Limited, Keyless Nature Limited, Westwood Motors Limited and Fazab Business Enterprise.

The Companies, according to the EFCC were awarded various contracts by local governments in Kogi State.

After scrutinizing the account opening packages and statements of accounts of the companies tendered by EFCC, the witness admitted the following; That Yahaya Bello’s name did not feature as signatory to any of the account opening packages.

He was not named as a party to any of the transactions by the companies and also not named as a beneficiary of any of the payments.

Egoro reiterated that the withdrawals between May and December 2022, which were mentioned during his examination-in-chief, were within the cash withdrawal threshold of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

On the issue of suspicious transactions report said to have been reported to the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), the witness said not all cash withdrawals by one Siyaka Yakubu were suspicious.

“My testimony is the pattern of withdrawals by the customer,” he told the court.

The defendant’s counsel, Joseph Daudu, SAN, asked, “So, the outflow that was transferred by Siyaka to any person in Exhibit 33(8) will not amount to Suspicious Transaction (ST).

“For example, the N20 million for the supply of education materials will not qualify as suspicious transaction?”

“No my lord, it won’t,” the witness responded.

“So, that will naturally go for all other outflows for which reasons or purposes were given?” the Defendant’s Counsel asked.

“My lord, it is not all cash withdrawals that are suspicious and not all transfers that are suspicious or illegal,” the witness said.

At the end of cross examination, Prosecution Counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, called its eighth witness, Gabriel Ochoche, a staff of First City Monument Bank, FCMB.

The witness took the court through the inflows and outflows on the accounts of Keyless Nature Limited and Kunfayakun Global Business Enterprise.

He confirmed multiple transactions between Eja Dams Essence Limited and Kunfayakun, dated February 18, 2022.

After his examination, the defendant’s counsel said he needed to go through the evidence before he could cross-examine the eighth witness.

Justice Nwite thereafter adjourned the case to March 3 and 9, 2026 for continuation of trial.