Yahaya Bello’s Trial: How Kogi LGs’ N3.1bn was disbursed to private entities, individuals — Witness

A bank official, on Thursday, told the Federal High Court in Abuja how about N3.1 billion to some local governments in Kogi State was transferred into a private company’s account and further distributed to other individuals and entities in eight months during Governor Yahaya Bello’s tenure.

Olomotane Egoro, a compliance officer at Access Bank, in the ongoing money laundering trial of Mr Bello, said the money, after reaching the private company’s account, was further distributed through cash withdrawals and transfers to other accounts.

Mr Egogo, who appeared as the seventh prosecution witness before trial judge Emeka Nwite, gave a detailed breakdown of the financial transactions that spanned eight months.

According to him, two entities – Fazab Business Enterprise and E-traders International Limited – were at the heart of the transactions. He showed how Fazab Business Enterprise received funds directly from the local governments. He also detailed cash deposits in E-traders International Limited.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Mr Bello, who served as Governor of Kogi State from January 2016 to January 2024, on 19 counts of money laundering.

The charges alleged diversion of N80.2 billion from the accounts of the Kogi State Government and some local governments in the state while he was in office.

Mr Bello has denied the charges.

But he faces related fraud charges, involving alleged diversion of N110 billion from the state with which he allegedly acquired houses in choice areas of Abuja and Dubai, the United Arab Emirate. The case is before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja.

According to a statement by Dele Oyewale, EFCC’s head of media and publicity, the witness said that between 26 July 2021, and 6 April 2022, cash that originated from the Kogi State local governments were deposited into the E-traders International Limited’s account totalled N3.1 billion (N3,145,569,654).

Mr Egoro, who was led in evidence by prosecution lawyer, Kemi Pinheiro, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said, “Yes, my Lord. These cash deposits were made between July 26, 2021, and April 6, 2022, within eight months.”

He added that “the cash deposits were made by Abba Adaudu, Abba A., Jamilu Abdullahi and Haruna Mohammed.”

Mr Egoro also testified that all deposits were made at the Lokoja branch of Access Bank, even though the E-Traders International Limited’s account was opened at the Mararaba branch in Nasarawa State.

The statement of account listed the address of the entity as Plot P316, Abuja–Keffi Expressway, Mararaba, Nasarawa State, the witness said.

Consistent inflows, cash withdrawals from Fazab Business Enterprise

Exhibit 33(8), the statement of account of Fazab Business Enterprise, was shown to the witness.

Mr Egoro told the court that on 6 May 2022, there were 11 inflows into the Fazab Business Enterprise account, all from different local governments in Kogi State – Yagba East, Yala, Ida, and Okene local government areas.

On the transactions of 9 May 2022, the witness stated that there were three transactions, comprising two inflows. When asked to confirm whether the inflows originated from Ibaji and Dekina local government areas, Mr Egoro answered in the affirmative, saying: “Yes, my Lord, I can confirm it came from the two local governments.”

The witness told the court that the total inflow on 6 May 2022, amounted to N103.375 million (N103,375,059.73), while the two inflows on 9 May 2022 totalled N14.56 million (N14,563,702.56), bringing the cumulative sum to N117.9 million (N117,938,762.29).

Mr Pinheiro further drew the witness’s attention to cash withdrawals that followed the inflows. Asked to identify the individual who made a N10 million cash withdrawal from the account, Mr Egoro replied: “My Lord, it is Yakubu Siyaka A.”

He confirmed that Yakubu Siyaka A made cash withdrawals on several dates, namely 9, 10, 11, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 24 and 26 May 2022. In total, the witness said the cash withdrawals made by Yakubu Siyaka A. between 9 May and 26 May 2022 amounted to N116.6 million (N116,600,000).

When asked whether, in view of his testimony, almost the entire inflow of N117. 9 million (N117,938,762.29) from the local governments in May 2022 was withdrawn in cash, Mr Egoro answered: “Yes, my Lord.”

The witness further told the court that by 31 May 2022, only a balance of about N1 million (N1,002,894.41) remained in the Fazab account.

Turning to June and July 2022, Mr Egoro testified that there “were consistent inflows from various Kogi State local governments.”

He stated that the total inflow for June 2022 was N108. 8 million (N108,793,086.69), while July 2022 recorded inflows of N141.7 million (N141,718,056.30), bringing the total inflow for both months to N250.5 million (N250,511,142.99).

He confirmed that during the same period, Yakubu Siyaka A. continued to make cash withdrawals from the account. According to him, the total cash withdrawals in June and July 2022 amounted to N198.9 million. When asked if almost N200 million was withdrawn in cash from the inflows of the two months, the witness responded: “Yes, my Lord, that’s correct.”

Mr Egoro further testified that the pattern of inflows from Kogi State local governments and corresponding cash withdrawals persisted in August and September 2022. He also confirmed that similar credit entries and withdrawal patterns were observed in October, November, and December 2022.

Calculating the inflows from August to December 2022, the witness told the court that the total sum credited into the Fazab Business Enterprise account during the period was about N2.2 billion (N2,195,273,096.27).

When added to the inflows recorded in May, June, and July 2022, Mr Egoro said the total inflows from May to December 2022 amounted to N2.56 billion (N2,563,722,942.55).

“That is over N2.5 billion paid into the account of Fazab Business Enterprise from Kogi State local governments within eight months, from May to December 2022,” he said.

On withdrawals, the witness stated that cash withdrawals made by Yakubu Siyaka A. from August to December 2022 amounted to N266.800 million, while withdrawals for May 2022 stood at N116.6 million and those for June and July 2022 amounted to N198.9 million. “My Lord, the total cash withdrawal by Yakubu Siyaka A. is N582,300,000 (N582.3 million),” he said.

Transfers from Fazab’s account

Mr Egoro further testified that beyond cash withdrawals, there were also transfers from Fazab’s account. He said in August 2022, two transfers totalling N94.4 million (N94,364,450) were made from the account. “My Lord, the first was N40 million on the 9 August, while the second was N54,364,450 on the 10 August,” he said.

According to him, the N40 million transfer was made in favour of Konforte Koncept company, while the N54.4 million (N54,364,450) was transferred to Abba Adaudu.

In September 2022, the witness testified that there were two transfers to Yagba East Local Government on 2 September 2022, amounting to N9.1 million (N9,100,359.80) and N11.58 million (N11,582,274.83), respectively.

He also told the court that on 9 September 2022, N25 million was transferred to Shetland Logistics Services Limited, while on 13 September 2022, N86.5 million was transferred to Ejadams Essence Limited.

Continuing, Mr Egoro stated that on 11 October 2022, there was an outflow of N80 million in favour of Hadassah Katriel Global Enterprise.

He further told the court that between October and December 2022, Hadassah Katriel Global Enterprise received a total of seven transfers from the Fazab Business Enterprise account, amounting to N430 million.

Cash deposits into E-Traders International’s account

The witness also said that Exhibit 33(6), the statement of account of E-Traders International Limited, formed part of the account opening package of the company and identified Abdullahi Jamilu as the first signatory.

Mr Egoro then gave a chronological breakdown of cash deposits into the E-traders International Limited account.

He said on 26 July 2021, there were seven cash deposits of N10 million each made by Abba Adaudu. On 22 July 2021, he said Abba Adaudu appeared three times as the depositor of cash.

He told the court that on 2 August 2021, there were three cash deposits amounting to N30 million, while on 19 August 2021, four cash deposits were made by Abba Adaudu. On 25 August 2021, he said there were ten cash deposits of N10 million each, totaling N100 million, and on 30 August 2021, six cash deposits were made by the same individual.

“All these deposits were made at the Lokoja Branch of Access Bank, the Kogi State capital,” the witness said.

Mr Egoro further testified that on 31 August 2021, there were five cash deposits totalling N50 million, while on 2 September 2021, there were six cash deposits of N10 million each by Abba Adaudu at the Lokoja branch.

Mr Egoro testified also that on 8 and 11 October 2021, there were ten cash deposits of N10 million each by Abba Adaudu, totaling N100 million. On 4 November 2021, he said there were 14 cash deposits by Abba Adaudu amounting to N134 million.

According to him, between 8 and 10 November 2021, there were 37 cash deposits by Abba Adaudu, each not exceeding N10 million, while on 12 November 2021, there were five cash deposits of N10 million each, totaling N50 million.

He also told the court that on 30 November2021, there were 20 cash deposits by Abba Adaudu, and on 1 December 2021, there were 23 cash deposits, none exceeding N10 million.

On 3 and 22 December 2021, the seventh prosecution witness said there were seven cash deposits by Yusuf Abba, while on 29 and 30 December 2021, there were 12 cash deposits by Haruna Mohammed at the Lokoja branch.

Continuing his testimony, the witness said that on 18, 19, and 24 January 2022, there were 13 cash deposits by Abba Adaudu, while on 28 and 31 January 2022, there were 31 cash deposits by Abba Adaudu and one by Haruna Mohammed.

He further stated that on 1 and 8 February 2022, there were 25 cash deposits by Abba Adaudu, while on 22 February, 2 March, and 10 March 2022, there were 12 cash deposits. On 11 and 21 March and 5 April 2022, he said there were 13 cash deposits by Jamilu Abdullahi and Abba Adaudu at the Lokoja branch.

According to Mr Egoro, on 5 and 6 April 2022, there were 30 cash lodgments of N10 million each by Abba K.

Application to travel to Mecca for Ramadan

After the prosecution witness’ testimony, Mr Bello’s lawyer, Joseph Daudu, a Senior Advocate of (SAN), moved an application for permission for his client to embark on a pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

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Mr Daudu told the court that the motion, filed on 20 January sought an order for the temporary release of Mr Bello’s passport to enable him to travel to Saudi Arabia for the lesser hajj during Ramadan, which runs from 18 February to 19 March.

Mr Pinheiro, the EFCC lawyer, did not oppose the application.

When the court asked Mr Bello to clarify how long he intended to stay abroad, the former governor said he would limit his trip to the last 10 days of Ramadan, mindful of his ongoing trial.

He said he had “not travelled outside this country in the last eight years,” adding that he “would have loved to spend the whole of Ramadan in Mecca and to observe Shittu Shawal immediately after Ramadan, but I will not want to take anyone for granted.”

In his ruling, Mr Nwite noted that the prosecution did not oppose the request.

“I have listened to the submission of the learner counsel to the defendant and also observed that the prosecution is not opposing the application.

“Hence, the defendant shall only spend 10 days in the Holy Land, which shall commence on March 13,” the judge ruled.

The court fixed Friday for continuation of trial.