In a significant turn of events at the ongoing money laundering trial of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, a key witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has acknowledged that the former governor’s name is absent from several critical financial records. During the proceedings on Thursday, the witness admitted that Bello was neither a beneficiary nor a signatory to contracts awarded by local government councils during his time in office.
The witness, Olomotane Egoro, an employee of Access Bank appearing as the seventh prosecution witness, made these admissions under cross-examination. While reviewing the exhibits presented by the EFCC, Egoro confirmed that the bank statements scrutinized by the court did not contain the name Yahaya Adoza Bello in connection with the disputed transactions.
The trial, as monitored by Reports, focused on the bank accounts of various firms, including E. Traders International Limited, Keyless Nature Limited, Westwood Motors Limited, and Fazab Business Enterprise. These companies were allegedly awarded contracts by local governments in Kogi State. However, after a thorough look at the account opening documents and statements, the witness stated that the former governor was not listed as a signatory, a party to the transactions, or a recipient of any payments.
Egoro also addressed the patterns of withdrawals made between May and December 2022. He clarified that these activities fell within the cash withdrawal limits set by the Central Bank of Nigeria. When questioned about the Suspicious Transaction Reports typically sent to the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, the witness noted that not every large cash withdrawal or transfer is automatically considered illegal or suspicious, including specific payments made for educational materials.
As the cross-examination concluded, the prosecution called its eighth witness, Gabriel Ochoche of First City Monument Bank. Ochoche provided testimony regarding the financial flows of Keyless Nature Limited and Kunfayakun Global Business Enterprise, highlighting several transactions that took place in early 2022.
Following this new testimony, the defense team requested time to review the evidence before beginning their cross-examination of the eighth witness. Justice Nwite subsequently adjourned the matter, with the trial set to continue on March 3 and 9, 2026.
