The ongoing trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, over alleged money laundering has been adjourned to November 12 after six prosecution witnesses testified before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory.
The witnesses, most of them bank officials, were invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to testify in the case. During the resumed hearing, the prosecution presented its fifth witness, Victoria Oluwafemi, a compliance officer with Polaris Bank. She explained that the account in question received multiple credit inflows from different sources, with several transfers made in sums of ₦10 million each. Oluwafemi further stated that the total credit recorded in November 2021 alone amounted to ₦450 million.
However, under cross-examination by Yahaya Bello’s counsel, Joseph Daudu (SAN), the witness admitted that she was neither the account officer nor the relationship manager for the said accounts and therefore could not confirm how the transactions were executed. When questioned by counsel to the third defendant, A. M. Aliyu, she confirmed that the name “Abdulsalam Hudu” did not appear in the relevant portion of Exhibit M.
The prosecution then called its sixth witness, Mshelia Arhyel B, to continue its evidence. Daudu informed the court that he was still cross-examining the same witness in a related matter before another court, but the presiding judge, Justice Maryann Anenih, maintained that the current case was independent, allowing the defence counsel to proceed at his discretion.
During the proceedings, the EFCC attempted to tender several documents through the subpoenaed witness. Both defence counsels—Daudu and Aliyu—objected, citing non-compliance with Sections 83 and 84 of the Evidence Act. The prosecution, led by Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), urged the court to overrule the objections and admit the documents, which the court eventually did. The admitted exhibit was a 218-page statement of account belonging to Alusha Services, signed by the witness and marked as Exhibit P1.
Further questioning revealed that prior to 2023, there were no strict limits on withdrawals as long as cheques did not exceed ₦10 million. The EFCC counsel asked the witness to review a series of transactions spanning from February 22, 2016, to May 6, 2022. The witness confirmed multiple ₦10 million withdrawals within the approved limits, stating that the total transactions as of January 31, 2018, stood at ₦707,267,000.
Arhyel also testified about several transactions on the account of Aleshua Solutions Services, including a $2,500 transfer from one B.O. Rosemary Chukwuma and two separate $5,000 transfers to an individual named Yau. He further confirmed receiving funds from the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service amounting to ₦202 million in December 2016.
Justice Anenih later announced that the court session would close by 3 p.m. and adjourned the matter to November 12 and 13 for the continuation of the sixth witness’s testimony.
At a previous hearing, the third prosecution witness, Williams Abimbola, a compliance officer with UBA, had told the court that no banking regulations were violated by the defendants. He also clarified that he was not the relationship manager for the Kogi State Government House account and that all transactions complied with banking guidelines.
The adjournment marks another phase in a case that has drawn public attention, as both sides continue to present arguments over the complex financial dealings linked to the former governor.
