Yahaya Bello Not Involved in Money Laundering – Lawyer Tells Court
A former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, is not facing a genuine money laundering trial but a politically driven case, his lawyer has told the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Joseph Daudu, made this claim on Wednesday while addressing Justice Emeka Nwite during proceedings in the case brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Daudu spoke while cross-examining the EFCC’s seventh witness, Olomotane Egoro, a compliance officer from Access Bank Plc, who was summoned to testify on transactions linked to the alleged offence.
The defence counsel argued that documents presented by the prosecution failed to connect Bello to any suspicious financial dealings. According to him, the records showed transactions carried out by local government authorities and private companies, not by the former governor.
During questioning, Egoro confirmed that Bello never served as a local government chairman in Kogi State. He also told the court that the contracts under investigation were awarded by various local government chairmen.
The witness admitted that Bello’s name did not appear anywhere in Exhibit 33, the set of documents tendered by the prosecution.
He said the name “Yahaya Bello” did not appear, either as sender or recipient.
Egoro further told the court that the entries in the transactions between the local governments and a company identified as Keyless Nature Limited appeared to be normal banking activities.
When asked about several payments made on October 11, 2022, from the 21 local government areas into the company’s account, the witness said he did not know the purpose of the transactions.
“No, my lord,” he replied when questioned on whether he knew what the payments were meant for.
He also admitted that he could not tell if there was any business or contractual relationship between the local governments and Keyless Nature Limited.
The bank officer explained that customers were free to spend their money as they wished unless there was evidence of fraud.
When asked if Access Bank was under any court order or had reported fraud regarding the transactions in Exhibit 33(11), Egoro responded, “That is correct, my lord,” confirming that no such report existed.
On another set of payments involving Fayzade Business Enterprise, the witness identified inflows from different local government areas and stated the purposes written in the documents.
He said a payment from Okene Local Government Area on May 6, 2022, was meant for the supply of reading materials.
Other payments, he explained, were for education materials from Ogorimagongo Local Government Area valued at N4.4 million, medical items from Okehi worth N7.5 million, sporting equipment from Omala amounting to N10.8 million, and medical consumables from Yagba Local Government Area valued at N12.2 million.
Egoro also listed agrochemicals, farm inputs, and additional medical consumables as purposes for other transactions.
Daudu then asked whether Bello was a local government chairman in any part of Kogi State.
The witness answered, “No, the defendant wasn’t a local government chairman.”
At that point, EFCC counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, briefly intervened, suggesting that money laundering cases often involve transactions that appear normal on the surface.
“My lord, there is this casual statement I learnt from my leader (Daudu) that this is a case of money laundering where payments can be made in disguise,” he said.
Daudu immediately responded, insisting that the evidence before the court did not support such a claim.
“Not all casual statements are made to go without reply, my lord. Very soon, we will know that this is not a money laundering trial but a political trial,” he said.
The court adjourned after the exchanges, with proceedings expected to continue at a later date.
