Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday adjourned the trial of former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, to today (Tuesday) for the continuation of proceedings.
Bello is facing prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over allegations of diverting and misappropriating N80.2 billion of Kogi State funds during his tenure as governor.
The adjournment followed a lengthy session that saw the continuation of the cross-examination of the fourth prosecution witness, Mashelia Arhyel, and the testimonies of three additional witnesses representing Zenith Bank, Ecobank, Keystone Bank, and Access Bank.
During the session, the defence counsel, Mr. Joseph Daudu, SAN, resumed cross-examining Arhyel, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank, who had earlier testified as the fourth prosecution witness.
Arhyel confirmed that “several cash withdrawals were made from the Kogi State Government House Administration Account by Abdulsalam Hudu and Comfort Olufunke in multiples of N10 million.”
Following the cross-examination, the prosecution team, led by Professor Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, declined to re-examine Arhyel, and the witness was subsequently discharged.
The prosecution then called Jesutoni Akoni, a compliance officer with Ecobank Nigeria Limited, as PW5. Akoni, who appeared under subpoena, presented the statement of account of Moses Wadzu Ileku for the period January to December 2016, which was admitted into evidence as Exhibit 29.
She further identified “several deposits made by Ileku, Abdulwahab Sabo, and Shehu Bello, among others, which ranged from N3 million to N20 million.”
The sixth prosecution witness, Mohammed Hassan, a relationship officer with Keystone Bank, also appeared under subpoena.
He submitted the statement of account for Dantata and Sawoe Construction Company, admitted as Exhibit 31 by the court.
Hassan testified that “between February 17 and February 22, 2021, a total of N100 million was transferred into the account by Maigari Murtala and Yusuf Mubarak.”
