The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has presented additional bank documents in the ongoing ₦110.4 billion fraud trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Bello is being tried alongside Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu on a 16-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and money laundering.
At the resumed hearing, the prosecution, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Kemi Pinheiro, called a Zenith Bank compliance officer, Mashelia Arhyel Bata, as the sixth prosecution witness. He tendered statements of account and explained several transactions recorded in the documents.
During cross-examination, the witness clarified that transaction descriptions only showed narrations and did not indicate how funds were ultimately used. He cited examples including a ₦10 million cheque issued to Abdulsalami Hudu and payments made to a Lokoja-based hotel, noting that the bank could not determine the purpose of such transactions.
Further testimony revealed large inflows into the account, including over ₦74 million credited from the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service, as well as multiple ₦10 million payments to individuals.
The witness confirmed that withdrawals linked to the third defendant were made by cheque and duly authorised.
The court, presided over by Justice Maryanne Anineh, adjourned the case to January 16 for continuation of the trial.
