Justice Maryann Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory Excessive Courtroom, on Thursday, adjourned the listening to within the alleged cash laundering case instituted in opposition to the quick previous Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, to November 12 after the EFCC known as its sixth witness.
When the case was known as for continuation of the listening to, the Prosecution first known as its fifth witness, Victoria Oluwafemi, a compliance officer with Polaris Bank.
The witness advised the courtroom the full credit score to the account in query, which got here from totally different senders, including that the transfers from the account have been in multiples of N10 million. He stated the full credit score in November 2021 was N450 million.
Whereas being cross-examined by the Counsel to the first Defendant, Joseph Daudu, SAN, the witness admitted that she was not the accounts officer for the 2 accounts together with her financial institution.
She additionally admitted that, as a result of she was not the accounts officer or relationship supervisor, she didn’t understand how the transactions on these accounts have been carried out.
Counsel to the 2nd Defendant, AM Aliyu, whereas cross-examining the witness, stated, “Have a look at the portion my realized brother confirmed you in Exhibit M, the title Abdulsalam Hudu didn’t characteristic there?”
“That’s right. Abdulsalam Hudu’s title didn’t characteristic,” she responded.
The Sixth Prosecution Witness (PW6), Mshelia Arhyel B, was then known as for cross-examination.
Daudu, SAN, advised the courtroom that he had not concluded the cross-examination of the identical witness in one other courtroom on an analogous material.
The courtroom, nevertheless, held that the matter earlier than it was impartial and that the Defence Counsel held the discretion to cross-examine or not.
In the course of the proceedings, the prosecution sought to tender sure paperwork by means of the subpoenaed witness.
Counsel to the first Defendant objected to the admissibility of the paperwork, arguing that they didn’t adjust to the provisions of Sections 83 and 84 of the Proof Act.
He additional indicated his intention to handle the Courtroom extra extensively on the factors of objection at a later stage.
Counsel to the 2nd Defendant, Aliyu, additionally objected, counting on the identical statutory grounds.
The prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, urged the courtroom to discountenance the objections raised by the defence workforce and admit the paperwork in proof.
The courtroom admitted the doc, a 218-page assertion of account of Alusha Companies, signed by the witness, Mshelia Arhyel, and marked P1 en bloc.
The prosecution requested related questions posed to the identical witness on the June 26, 2025, examination earlier than Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal Excessive Courtroom.
He reiterated that, previous to 2023, there was no strict withdrawal restrict so long as the quantity written on the cheque didn’t exceed ₦10 million.
The EFCC counsel advised the witness to look at the transactions of the twenty second, twenty third, and twenty fifth of February, in addition to the third of March, 2016, as much as sixth Might, 2022.
He confirmed a number of transactions of N10 million every however admitted they have been throughout the approval threshold, placing the full transactions as of January 31, 2018, at N707,267,000.
“Please affirm that, however the a number of withdrawals made on the identical day, they have been all throughout the accepted withdrawal threshold,” prosecution counsel stated.
“Sure, my Lord,” the witness responded.
On the account assertion of Aleshua Options Companies and transactions from Might 6, 2022, the witness stated the primary entry was a switch in favour of Aleshua Options Companies by B.O. Rosemary Chukwuma, within the sum of $2,500.
“The second is a switch in favour of Yau for $5,000. The third can be a money switch of $5,000 to Yau,” he said.
The witness additionally confirmed sure transactions in December 2016 from the Kogi State Inner Income Service, totalling N202 million.
The choose indicated that the session should finish at 3 pm and adjourned the case to November 12 and 13, 2025, for continuation of the examination of the sixth witness.
The third prosecution witness had, on the previous listening to, stated no banking regulation was breached by the defendants.
The witness, Williams Abimbola, a Compliance Officer with UBA, had additionally admitted not being the connection or account supervisor of the Kogi Authorities Home account, noting that the transactions have been in step with stipulated pointers.
Please observe and like us:
