A prosecution witness in the trial of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello told a court on Tuesday, February 10, that financial transactions involving N110.4 billion and other funds linked to the governor and his co-defendants were conducted in accordance with Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, guidelines.
Olomotane Egoro, a Compliance Officer with Access Bank Plc, appeared before Justice Maryanne Anenih to give evidence in the case, which also involves Umar Oricha and Abdulsalam Hudu.
The defendants are facing allegations of criminal breach of trust involving N110.4 billion and other funds, charges to which they have all pleaded not guilty.
Egoro, who has been with Access Bank since May 2023, explained that one Aminu Olanrewaju, previously identified as making withdrawals from the Kogi State Government House Administration Account, was a signatory to the account.
He confirmed that Olanrewaju was a civil servant serving as Director of Accounts in the Kogi State government.
The witness said he was not privy to the internal workings of the government house account and could not confirm the purpose of withdrawn funds except where transaction details were recorded.
He clarified that the former governor’s name was not linked to any of the transactions.
In relation to payments between Kogi State Local Government Areas and private firms including Fazab Business Enterprise, Egoro confirmed the nature of several transactions.
He verified that a May 6, 2022 transaction was for the supply of reading materials to Okene Local Government worth N14.4 million. Other payments, he said, included expenditures for sporting equipment, agrochemicals, farm inputs, and medical consumables.
For instance, N10.6 million from Ibaji Local Government statutory revenue was for agrochemicals, N7.3 million from Mopa Muro Local Government went to relief materials, and N9.9 million from Ofu Local Government was for agrochemical procurement.
The witness also confirmed multiple cash withdrawals from the government account, including N10 million withdrawals by Aminu Jimoh Olanrewaju between January 15 and 16, 2018, and withdrawals by Abdulsalami Hudu in March of the same year.
He said that suspicious transactions were reported to the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, NFIU, in line with standard practice.
During cross-examination, Egoro maintained that all transactions were compliant with CBN regulations and no law was violated.
Earlier in the proceedings, the court admitted into evidence statements of account from the Kogi State Government House Administration and 11 companies, including Westwood Motors Limited, Fozad Oil and Gas Limited, Bespoque Global Concept Limited, E-Traders International Limited, and Keyless Nature Limited.
The Kogi State Government House Account was marked as Exhibits AH1 and AH2, while the other companies’ statements were labeled Exhibits AG to AR.
Justice Maryanne Anenih adjourned the trial until March 10, for the continuation of cross-examination.
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