Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, appeared in court on Wednesday, where his lawyer, Joseph Daudu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), argued that the ongoing trial of his client is politically motivated rather than centered around money laundering.
Daudu made the assertion during the cross-examination of Olomotane Egoro, the seventh prosecution witness in the case, at the Federal High Court in Abuja. Egoro, a compliance officer at Access Bank Plc, was subpoenaed to testify on behalf of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Under cross-examination, Egoro revealed that the contracts involved in the case were awarded by local government chairmen, as evidenced by documents presented by the prosecution and marked as Exhibit 33.
However, he confirmed that Bello’s name did not appear in relation to the transactions under investigation.
“The name ‘Yahaya Bello’ does not appear either as sender or recipient,” Egoro stated.
The witness further acknowledged that the entries in Exhibit 33(11), which detailed transactions between local governments and Keyless Nature Limited, appeared to be regular banking transactions.
Daudu, pressing the witness, asked: “You drew my lord’s attention to a litany of payments from the 21 local government areas, for example, on 11th October, 2022, into the Keyless account. Do you know the purpose of those entries or transactions?”
Egoro responded, “No, my lord,” adding that he could not ascertain from the records whether there was any business or contractual relationship between the local governments and Keyless Nature Limited.
The witness also stated that customers are entitled to spend their funds as they see fit, as long as there is no evidence of fraud. When asked about transactions in Exhibit 33(11), Daudu queried, “Confirm that in respect of transactions in Exhibit 33(11), your bank was not under court order, and you have no report of fraud?”
“That is correct, my lord,” Egoro confirmed.
Egoro also clarified the nature of payments made to Fayzade Business Enterprise, indicating that an inflow from Okene Local Government Area (LGA) on May 6, 2022, was for the supply of reading materials.
He listed further payments from other LGAs for educational materials (N4.4 million), medical items (N7.5 million), sporting equipment (N10.8 million), and medical consumables (N12.2 million), among others.
Other payments were made for agrochemicals, farm inputs, and medical consumables.
When asked if Bello was ever a local government chairman, Egoro responded, “No, the defendant wasn’t a local government chairman.”
EFCC counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, interjected, pointing out that money laundering transactions are often disguised.
“My lord, there is this casual statement I learned from my leader that this is a case of money laundering where payments can be made in disguise,” Pinheiro stated.
Daudu quickly retorted: “Not all casual statements are made to go without reply, my lord.”
He continued, “Very soon, we will know that this is not a money laundering trial but a political trial.”
Meanwhile, the defense sought to tender certified true copies (CTCs) of documents from another court proceeding. Pinheiro raised no objection to the documents but noted a procedural issue over the lack of receipts showing payment for the certified copies.
Presiding Judge Emeka Nwite ruled that the documents could only be admitted once the required receipts were presented, agreeing with the prosecution’s position.
Daudu informed the court that efforts are underway to retrieve the receipts, and Nwite adjourned the case to February 5 for the continuation of cross-examination.
