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A prosecution witness within the ongoing N10 billion cash laundering trial towards Ali Bello, the nephew of Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, has offered financial institution statements detailing suspicious transactions from the state authorities accounts.
The defendants, Ali Bello, Yahaya Bello, and two others, are going through a 10-count cost of misappropriation and cash laundering, introduced towards them by the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee (EFCC). They have been arraigned on December 15, 2022.
EFCC in a press release mentioned the witness, Bananda Edward, a compliance officer with the United Financial institution of Africa (UBA), was led in proof by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, and testified earlier than Justice James Omotsho of the Federal Excessive Court docket in Abuja on Thursday, January 11.
Edward offered a press release of account generated from UBA in respect of transactions within the state authorities and the state authorities’s home administration accounts.
Within the assertion of accounts, there have been money withdrawals on December 23, 2022, to the tune of N20 million, which have been withdrawn in tranches of N10 million every from the Kogi State Authorities account in favour of Kudu Abdulsalam, in accordance with the EFCC.
The prosecution counsel, Oyedepo, moved to tender the transactions as an exhibit in proof however was opposed by A.M. Alilu, counsel to the primary defendant and Nureini Jimoh, counsel to the second defendant as a result of the paperwork didn’t fulfill Financial institution Guide 258 of the Proof Act in addition to Sections 89(h) and 91(e) of the identical Proof Act 2011.
Responding, Oyedepo urged the courtroom to ignore the defence counsel’s arguments, claiming that the paperwork are authentic and real of their present type.
“The legislation says the place a doc is admissible, the attachment goes with it. The paperwork are additionally related to the info of the case. That’s the reason it’s going by means of the turbulence we’re seeing now. I submit that the basic proof given by the witness has complied with Part 90, sub-section 1, Paragraph (e) of the Proof Act 2011, and the witness has confirmed on oath that the paperwork offered are made by prospects of the financial institution. The doc is related to the trial as a result of it’s a financial institution assertion. He even took a step additional to authenticate the doc by means of the certificates of authentication,” Oyedepo argued.
Nonetheless, Justice Omotosho, who presided over the case, dominated in favour of the prosecution and admitted the paperwork in proof.
The witness additionally examined Exhibit E, which contained transactions on December 28, 2022, the place he revealed that there have been cheque withdrawals of N10 million every in 4 locations in favour of 1 Alhassan Onakaji.
“On January 3, 2023, there was an influx of N100 million and in January 4, 2023 there have been withdrawals from the identical account of N10 million every in 9 withdrawals. There have been additional cheque withdrawals of N10 million every in favour of Abdulsalam Kudu.
“On January 11, 2023, there was an influx of N100 million into the account and on January 24, 2023, there was additionally an influx of N100 million into the account. On February 22, 2023, there have been inflows of N24, 928,195.26 and N50 million. On February 6, 2023, there have been inflows of N29,800,000, N16,740,000, N35,440,000, N22,700,000, and N151,135,000.”
EFCC mentioned Edward additionally reported money transfers from the account on February 6, 2023, to a number of people, together with Hussein Yusuf, Salaudin Abdulrazak, Sule Ojo, Shuab Abdulrasheed, Abubakar Magaji, Abdulkareem Abdulraman, Chrisenbirth Funding Ltd., and Peter Oha.
“On February 6, 2023, there have been additionally money transfers in favour of Hussein Yusuf to the sum of N500,000.00; N300,000 in favour of Salaudin Abdulrazak; N500,000.00 in favour of Sule Ojo; N500,000.00 in favour of Shuab Abdulrasheed; N300,000.00 in favour Abubakar Magaji, N500,000.00 in favour of Abdulkareem Abdulrahman; N1,300,000 in favour of Chrisenbirth Funding Ltd; and N1,000,000 twice in favour of Peter Oha.
After contemplating the witness’s statements, Justice Omotoso adjourned the proceedings till February 5 and 6 for the continuation of the listening to.
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