The trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, before Justice Maryanne Anineh of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Maitama, Abuja, continued on Thursday, 15 January 2026 with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) tendering more bank records as evidence.
The EFCC is prosecuting Bello, alongside Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu on a 16-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and money laundering to the tune of 1N10.4 billion.
|
|
At the resumed trial on Thursday, the prosecution team, led by Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, informed the court that the case was slated for further cross-examination of Prosecution Witness Six (PW6), Mashelia Arhyel Bata, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank, who was present in court.
Cross-examining the witness, counsel to the first and second defendant J.B Daudu SAN requested for Exhibit S1 and asked the witness to clarify his earlier testimony that the statement of account had eight columns.
|
|
|
|---|
“At the beginning of your testimony, you said there are eight columns in the statement of account. By ‘description,’ what do you mean?” Daudu asked.
Responding, the witness said, “It is the description of the transaction, my Lord. Referring to page three of Exhibit S1, the witness explained that the first column showed an entry dated 20 January 2016, with the description: “Cq 158 Abdulsalami Hudu for N10,000,000.”
He further pointed out another entry which read: “ZB chq 155 paid Halims Hotels and Tours, Lokoja, N2,454,400, my Lord.”
When asked if he knew the purpose for which the N10 million collected by Abdulsalami Hudu or the amount paid to Halims Hotels and Tours was used, the witness replied, “I won’t know the purpose the N10,000,000 collected by Hudu and equally that of Halims Hotels, how it was spent and for which purpose.”
Daudu then requested Exhibit X1 and asked the witness to confirm whether his attention had been drawn to certain entries in the account.
The witness replied that it was the account opening document of a company with account number 1014878995, domiciled at the Lokoja branch of Zenith Bank.
Daudu further asked the witness to confirm whether there were 21 transactions between March 10 and 12 March 2016. The witness, however, responded that the entries he started with were from 14 November 2016. Directing the witness to 6 December 2016, Daudu asked him to read the entries. The witness stated that the first entry was a transfer from the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service, a credit of N74,378,483.20.
“The second entry on 6 December 2016 is a cheque paid to Mohammed Jami’u Sallau in the sum of N10,000,000, my Lord,” the witness said.
When asked whether the column stated the purpose of the payment, the witness answered, “No, my Lord. Sorry, my Lord, looking at the narration, I would not decide the reason for the payment.”
He added that the same applied to another credit entry of N10,000,000 in favour of Mohammed Jami’u Sallau.
Z.B. Abbas then cross-examined the witness on behalf of A.M. Aliyu, SAN, counsel to the 3rd defendant.
Abbas asked whether all withdrawals made by the 3rd defendant were by cheque. The witness answered, “Yes, my Lord, they were cheque withdrawals. He further confirmed that the cheques were duly signed by the authorised signatories. Abbas also asked if Exhibit X1 was the statement of account of the Government House account, to which the witness responded in the affirmative.
On Exhibit X2, Abbas asked whether the 3rd defendant had been introduced to the bank as a civil servant and accountant. The witness answered, “Yes, my Lord, he is an accountant.”
Abbas then suggested that the 3rd defendant was merely carrying out his duty as an accountant. This drew an objection from prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, who argued that the witness was not a civil servant working for the Kogi State Government and therefore could not testify to that fact.
Justice Anineh sustained the objection.
When asked about the signatories to the account, the witness listed three individuals: Chris Onyepola, Permanent Secretary; Onyechukwu Daniel L., Chief Accountant; and Abdulsalami Hudu, Accountant.
“These three individuals are the signatories to the account,” the witness confirmed.
Pressed further on transactions dated 19 February 2016, the witness stated that there was an inflow from UBA for a Police Reform Programme or payment of security fund amounting to N10,000,000 per tranche, made in six tranches, totalling N60,000,000.He further explained that on 3 May 2016, there was an inflow with the narration “payment of sec/fund” dated February 24, 2016, amounting to
N50,000,000, followed by another transfer for payment of “sec fund” in the same amount.
The witness confirmed that after these inflows, the 3rd defendant made withdrawals. He also testified that on 14 September 2016, there were two inflows of N50,000,000 each, totalling N100,000,000, and that the 3rd defendant made a withdrawal the following day.
On 20 September 2016, he said there were two tranches of N10,000,000 and N15,000,000 described as “His Excellency Special Sec Vote.”
Similarly, on 22 September 2016, there was an inflow of N50,000,000 followed by a withdrawal by the 3rd defendant. Asked to confirm whether Exhibit X1 originated from Zenith Bank, the witness replied, “It came from our bank.”
He added that while abbreviations are standard in banking, he did not know the meaning of “sec” as it was not a term used by their bank.
On 9 August 2016, the witness confirmed there was an inflow of N50,000,000, after which the 3rd defendant made withdrawals. He also stated that on 18 August 2016, six withdrawals were made by one Umar Comfort, and that another withdrawal by the same individual occurred on August 23, 2016.
When asked whether the first defendant was the only person operating the Government House account, the witness answered, “No.” Following the conclusion of the cross-examination, Pinheiro said the prosecution had no re-examination and applied that the witness be discharged. He also informed the court that the prosecution had a short witness from Keystone Bank to be called as Prosecution Witness Seven (PW7).
PW7, Mohammed Bello Hassan, was thereafter sworn in. Led in evidence by Kayode Enitan, SAN, the witness identified himself as an executive trainee with Keystone Bank. He told the court he appeared pursuant to a subpoena.
The prosecution tendered the subpoena, certificate of identification, and the statement of account of Dantata and Sawoe Construction covering January 1 to 31 December 2021. Counsel to the 3rd defendant objected, stating that reasons would be given later.
The documents were admitted in evidence and marked accordingly.
Referring to Exhibit Z1, Enitan asked the witness to confirm whether the statement had columns and narrations. The witness said it had seven columns. Drawing his attention to page two, the witness confirmed that on 17 February 2021, there were several credit entries of N10,000,000 each. He further confirmed that entries on 18, 21 and 22 February 2021, were also credits of N10,000,000 each.
Explaining the narrations, the witness said that on February 17, 2021, Maigari Murtala transferred N10,000,000 in six tranches, totaling N60,000,000.
He added that Yusuf Mubarak transferred N10,000,000 on 17 February, another N10,000,000 on 21 February, and N10,000,000 on 22 February. “In total, there were nine transfers of N10,000,000 each by Maigari Murtala and one transfer of N10,000,000 by Yusuf Mubarak, making N100,000,000,” the witness confirmed.
Under cross-examination by J.B. Daudu, SAN, the witness said he had been an executive trainee for two years and worked in the marketing department. He admitted that he was not the account officer of Dantata and Sawoe and that he was sent by the bank to comply with the subpoena. He also said he did not personally know Maigari Murtala or Yusuf Mubarak.
Under further cross-examination by counsel to the 3rd defendant Aliyu, the witness stated that he had never encountered the name Abdulmumini Hudu, did not know when the account was opened, and was unaware of the account signatories.
With no re-examination, PW7 was discharged.
Enitan then called Prosecution Witness Eight (PW8), Gabriel Ocha, a compliance officer with FCMB, No.4, Gwani Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja. He also appeared under subpoena, bringing along a certificate of compliance and other documents covering the period from1 January 2018, to 31 December 2024, in respect of Kunfayakun Global Limited.
Counsel to the 3rd defendant objected to the admissibility of the documents, reserving reasons for later. Nevertheless, the court admitted them and marked them as Exhibits AA (subpoena), AB1 (certificate of identification) and AB2 (account opening package).
Led by Enitan, the witness explained that the statement of account had seven columns, representing date, reference, description, value date, deposit, withdrawal and balance. Referring to page seven of the statement, the witness read an entry dated 1 November 2021, showing a debit of N30,000,000 from Kunfayakun Global Limited in favour of the American International School for Abdul Bashir.
He further testified that on 1 November 2021, there were three web transfers of N10,000,000 each, credited from Haruna Gana and Haruna Gaddafi, totalling N30,000,000.
He also confirmed a NIBSS transfer on the same date from Behamas Global Ventures in the sum of N25,959,000.
On 2 November 2021, the witness said there were transfers of N10,000,000, N10,000,000 and over N8,000,000 to Zadakkayak Global.
After cross-examination by counsel to the defendants, the prosecution called Prosecution Witness Nine (PW9), A.D. Ojoma, a compliance officer with Sterling Bank. He also appeared under subpoena with a certificate of compliance and the statement of account of Bespoke Business Solutions Limited.
While counsel to the 1st and 2nd defendants did not object to the admissibility of the documents, counsel to the 3rd defendant objected, reserving reasons for later.
Led in evidence by Pinheiro, the witness identified several credit entries, including a transaction of over N57 million on March 5, 2019.
On 3 April 2019, he identified a credit entry described as “NAFFS Kogi State payment commission for March 2019,” from the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service, amounting to N138,492,215.91.
READ ALSO: Nigerian govt inaugurates committee to improve power supply in health facilities
He also identified another credit entry on 3 May 2019, described as “NAFFS Kogi State 2019,” from the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service, in the sum of N136,809,102.70.
On 6 August 2019, the witness said there was a credit entry from the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service for payment of contractors amounting to N183,645,647.31. He further testified that on 15 August 2019, there was a credit entry of N242,250,000 for the purchase of OBPEH.
Justice Maryanne Anineh thereafter adjourned the matter till Friday, 16 January 2026, for continuation of trial.
Dele Oyewale
Head, Media & Publicity
January 15, 2026
Discover more from Premium Times Nigeria
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
