Three witnesses of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday admitted before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, that there were massive withdrawals from Kogi State Government House Administration bank accounts, but maintained that former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, was never a beneficiary of the transactions.
The witnesses, Mshelia Arhyel Bata of Zenith Bank, Mohammed Hassan of Keystone Bank, and Gabriel Oche of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), testified for the prosecution in the ongoing trial of Bello and two others over alleged corruption-related offences.
During their testimonies, the witnesses tendered various documents from their respective banks, including account-opening packages and detailed statements of account, which the court admitted as exhibits. The documents revealed numerous withdrawals from accounts operated by the Kogi State Government House Administration during Bello’s tenure.
However, while reviewing the statements of account, all three witnesses confirmed that Bello’s name did not appear anywhere in the documents, either as a signatory to the accounts or as a beneficiary of the withdrawals.
Under cross-examination by Joseph Daudu, SAN, counsel to the former governor, Mshelia Arhyel Bata of Zenith Bank, stated that after carefully examining the bank records, he could not find Bello’s name listed as a beneficiary of any withdrawal. He further explained that the purpose of the withdrawals could not be determined from the documents, though he observed that the transactions followed a consistent pattern.
Bata identified Chris Enefola, a former Permanent Secretary; Onekutu Daniel, a Chief Accountant; and Abdulsalami Hudu, an Accountant, as authorised signatories to the Zenith Bank accounts linked to the Kogi State Government House Administration.
Another prosecution witness, Mohammed Hassan from the Marketing Department of Keystone Bank, testified regarding accounts operated by Dantata and Sawoe. He told the court that he was neither the account officer nor the relationship manager for the accounts and therefore had no direct knowledge of their day-to-day operations.
In his testimony, Gabriel Oche of FCMB disclosed that several payments were made to the American International School, Abuja, through an account belonging to Kunfayakun Global Limited. However, he said he had no personal or professional relationship with the account’s signatories. He also confirmed that, based on the documents provided by FCMB, the names of Yahaya Bello and the two other defendants did not feature in any of the transactions.
At the hearing, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, appeared for the EFCC, while Joseph Daudu, SAN, represented Yahaya Bello and Umar Shuaib Oricha. Z. E. Abbass represented Abdulsalami Hudu.
Justice Maryann Anenih subsequently adjourned the case to January 16 for further proceedings.
