YAHAYA BELLO’S TRIAL POLITICAL, NOT MONEY LAUNDERING – DAUDU SAN TELLS COURT

Yahaya Bello’s Trial Political, Not Money Laundering – Daudu SAN Tells Court

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Joseph Daudu, has told the Federal High Court in Abuja that the ongoing trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, is politically motivated and not a genuine money laundering prosecution.

Daudu, who leads Bello’s legal team, made the assertion during proceedings in the N80.2 billion money laundering case instituted against the former governor by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He spoke in response to remarks by EFCC’s lead counsel, Kemi Pinheiro SAN, who had described the pattern of payments from Kogi State local government areas as “stealing by disguise.”

During cross-examination of the seventh prosecution witness (PW7), Mr. Olomotane Egoro, a Compliance Officer with Access Bank Plc, Daudu elicited several admissions which he argued undermined the prosecution’s case.

Egoro, who was subpoenaed from Access Bank, confirmed under oath that Yahaya Bello was never a chairman of any local government in Kogi State.

He further stated that the contracts linked to the transactions under scrutiny were awarded by local government chairmen to various contractors, as shown in the bank statements of companies tendered and admitted as exhibits.

Crucially, the witness confirmed that Bello’s name did not appear in any of the local government transactions being investigated, either as a sender or recipient of funds.

While addressing Exhibit 33(11), the statement of account for Keyless Nature Limited, Egoro agreed that the entries reflected normal banking transactions.

Asked by Daudu whether he knew the purpose of several payments made on October 11, 2022, from the 21 local government areas into the Keyless Nature Limited account, the witness replied that he did not.

Egoro also admitted that, from the records before him, he had no knowledge of any business or contractual relationship between the local governments and Keyless Nature Limited.

He further told the court that customers are entitled to spend their money as they wish unless fraud is established, adding that Access Bank had no court order or fraud report concerning the transactions contained in Exhibit 33(11).

On transactions involving Fayzade Business Enterprise and similar entities, the witness identified a May 6, 2022 inflow from Okene Local Government Area described as payment for the “supply of reading materials.”

He also confirmed other payments from local governments including Ogorimagongo, Okehi, Omala, and Yagba, with purposes ranging from education materials worth N4.4 million, medical items valued at N7.5 million, sporting equipment costing N10.8 million, and medical consumables amounting to N12.2 million.

Other transactions were linked to supplies such as agrochemicals and farm inputs.

Under further questioning, Daudu asked whether Yahaya Bello was a local government chairman in Kogi State.

The witness responded in the negative.Justice Emeka Nwite subsequently adjourned the matter to February 5 and 6, 2026, for continuation of the trial.