An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) witness, Mrs. Abimbola Williams, has told the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday that former Governor Yahaya Bello’s name did not appear in the account opening documents for the Government House Administration, Lokoja.
She gave her testimony as a subpoenaed witness presented by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in its N80 billion alleged money laundering case against the ex-governor.
Nairametrics previously reported that the General Manager of EFAB Properties Limited, Segun J. Adeleke, testified last Monday that former Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello’s name did not appear on the documents for two properties, collectively worth about N550 million, purchased from the company at the time of acquisition.
Bello had earlier pleaded not guilty before Justice Emeka Nwite following his arraignment by the EFCC.
The former governor and others are accused of conspiring in February 2016 to convert N80,246,470,088.88, allegedly obtained through a criminal breach of trust, in violation of Section 18(a) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended).
Today’s Court Proceedings
At the resumed proceedings on Thursday, Williams, led in evidence by EFCC lawyer Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), confirmed that 10 withdrawals were made from the government account in favour of Abdulsalam Hudu, each amounting to N10 million, on December 12, 2018.
- She highlighted that the withdrawals were carried out using cheques presented across the counter.
- Williams also stated that the subpoena requested the production of the statement of account of Macelina Njoku, covering the period from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2020, as well as the account opening documents for the Government House Administration, Lokoja.
- The witness, through the EFCC, applied to tender the documents as evidence, and they were admitted as exhibits by Justice Emeka Nwite.
During cross-examination by Bello’s lawyer, Joshua Daudu (SAN), the witness confirmed that the former governor’s name did not appear in the account opening documents or its management records.
- She admitted that the account was domiciled in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, while she works in Area 3, Abuja.
- Williams agreed with Daudu that a compliance officer is duty-bound to protect the integrity of the bank against legal penalties, reputational damage, and financial losses.
- She further mentioned that the three signatories on the account included Alhaji Yakubu Ismail, a permanent secretary in the state.
Daudu then asked, “Now, in both the account opening documents and the statements of account from Exhibits ‘E1 to E72,’ does the name ‘Yahaya Bello’ appear anywhere?”
Her response was, “No, the name Yahaya Bello does not feature.”
- After her testimony, the EFCC called Nicholas Ohehomon, its next witness, from the American International School (AIS).
- Through Pinheiro, the witness tendered exhibits showing the school’s statements of account, admission letters of the ex-governor’s children, and payment receipts.
- Ohehomon confirmed the different classes the children were admitted into, adding that they were enrolled in various grades.
- He further testified that there was a contractual agreement for post-paid school fees for the ex-governor’s children until their graduation.
- The court admitted these documents as evidence, including account details provided by the EFCC for the refund of the fees.
- Subsequently, Justice Nwite adjourned the matter to March 7 for the continuation of the trial.
What You Should Know
Nairametrics reports that the EFCC and other security agencies had declared Bello wanted, citing their inability to track his whereabouts or arrest him at the time.
In this case, the EFCC later accused the Kogi State government of using its “immunity” to shield Bello.
The EFCC eventually arrested Bello and filed another fraud case against him at the FCT High Court. Both matters are currently pending.
