Transactions Linked to Kogi Government Occurred Before I Joined Access Bank, Says EFCC Witness
A prosecution witness in the alleged money laundering case involving former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has told the court that several transactions connected to the Kogi State Government took place before he began working with Access Bank Plc.
The witness, Olomotane Egoro, made the statement on Wednesday while being cross-examined during the ongoing trial. Egoro, who appeared as the 10th witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), clarified that the transactions listed in Exhibit AH1, covering the period from January 1, 2016 to April 2023, occurred before he joined the bank.
He also informed the court that he was not the account officer responsible for the account referenced in the proceedings.
During questioning, Egoro confirmed that Access Bank did not violate any regulations of the Central Bank of Nigeria when it approved cheques presented by the third defendant, Abdulsalam Hudu.
Referring to another document marked Exhibit AP, the witness stated that the account opening documents for Fazab Business Enterprise were not presented before the court. Although he acknowledged that corporate accounts require incorporation documentation, he said he could not determine the nature of the company’s business from the materials available.
Egoro further noted that he could not explain why various local government councils made payments into the account identified as Exhibit AP unless such details were specified in the transaction records.
When defence counsel Zakari Abbas asked whether the bank approved cheques submitted by an individual identified as Yakubu Abenege, the witness responded that all withdrawals were authorised by the bank.
Asked whether any of the approvals violated Central Bank regulations, Egoro replied in the negative.
The court also examined a transaction dated May 6, 2022, contained in Exhibit AP. The witness confirmed that the narration attached to an inflow from Okehi Local Government indicated it was for the supply of medical items.
Following the cross-examination, the trial judge, Justice Maryann Anenih, adjourned the matter to Thursday, March 12, for the continuation of the trial.
At the previous sitting, the witness had also testified that no banking regulations were breached in relation to transactions linked to the Kogi Government House account. He added that there was no Post No Debit (PND) restriction placed on the account tendered as evidence and that neither the former governor’s name nor that of the second defendant appeared in the transaction records.
