Nigeria: Again, EFCC Witness Says No Law Breached in Fund Withdrawals By Kogi Govt

An EFCC witness, Mshelia Arhyel Bata, in the alleged money laundering trial of former Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi, on Monday, re-affirmed that fund withdrawals by the state government did not breach any banking law.

Bata stated this while being cross-examined by the ex-governor's counsel, Joseph Daudu, SAN, before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

He also admitted that Bello's name did not appear as beneficiary in the account statements presented as evidence in court.

Bata, a Compliance Officer with Zenith Bank, testified as 4th prosecution witness (PW-4). The prosecution had concentrated on withdrawals by Abdulsalam Hudu.

Under cross-examination, Daudu drew the witness' attention to certain withdrawals by Umar Comfort Olufunke, which he said the prosecution did not mention while being led in evidence-in-chief.

The PW-4 told the court that Olufunke's withdrawals, in multiples of N10 million, were between December 2017 and April 2018, with beneficiaries being various hotels in Kogi. (NAN)

The witness also confirmed withdrawals by Alhassan Omakoji between November 2021 and December 2022, which he admitted, did not exceed N10 million per withdrawal.

He said the withdrawals were in line with the limits set by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

He equally admitted that he was not aware of any law that regulates how Kogi Government spends its money or allocation.

Justice Nwite then discharged the witness after Pinheiro informed that there was no re-examination. (NAN)

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