LunagisthubEFCC Presents Fresh Evidence in Yahaya Bello’s N110.4 Billion Money Laundering Trial
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has tendered additional bank records as evidence in the ongoing trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, over alleged financial crimes amounting to N110.4 billion. Bello is standing trial alongside Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu on a 16-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and money laundering .
During the trial, the EFCC called its sixth prosecution witness, Mashelia Arhyel Bata, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank, who testified on the bank’s records. Bata explained that the “description” column in the statement of account reflected transaction narrations, citing specific entries, including a cheque payment of N10 million to Abdulsalami Hudu and another payment of N2,454,400 to Halims Hotels and Tours, Lokoja. However, Bata stated that the bank’s records did not provide details on the purpose of these transactions .
The witness also testified about a company account held at Zenith Bank’s Lokoja branch, which received a credit transfer of N74,378,483.20 from the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service on December 6, 2016. On the same day, the account recorded a cheque payment of N10 million to Mohammed Jami’u Sallau, with no narration explaining the purpose of the payment .
Bata further testified that exhibit X1 represented the statement of account for the Government House account, while another document, exhibit X2, showed that Hudu was introduced to the bank as a civil servant and accountant. The witness confirmed that all withdrawals made by Abdulsalami Hudu were effected through cheques duly endorsed by authorised signatories .
The trial is ongoing, with the EFCC expected to call more witnesses and tender further evidence in the coming sessions. The case has drawn significant public attention, centering on claims that large sums of money were moved through various bank accounts in a manner that contravened financial regulations and constituted money launder .
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