Trial continued, on Monday, in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/550/2022: FRN V. Ali Bello & Anor, before Justice J. K .Omotosho at the Federal High Court, Abuja Division.
The 1st and 2nd Defendants’ Counsel, A.M. Aliyu (SAN) and Nureini Jimoh (SAN) respectively, cross examined the Prosecution’s Second Witness, Edward Bananda, from the United Bank for Africa, with respect to the evidence he tendered (Statements of Accounts).
The witness, upon a perusal of the entire bank statements he produced at trial, stated that he could not remember seeing the names of Ali Bello and Dauda Suleiman as beneficiaries who made withdrawals from the account tendered.
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He, however, confirmed that one Abdulsalam Hudu made most of the withdrawals from the account statements.
The witness also stated that he played no role in the entries contained in the Statements of Account and only became a witness in the matter due to the invitation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Bananda also confirmed that the cash transactions of the Kogi State Government and the Kogi State Government House Administration, as seen in the Statements of Account, did not contravene the Cash Withdrawal Policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the bank or any law.
The attempt by Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) to re-examine the witness on the issue of the absence of the name of Ali Bello and Dauda Suleiman on the Statements of Account and the operation of a computer was overruled.
The matter was consequently adjourned to February 6, 2024 for the continuation of trial.
