Law & Crime
Yahaya Bello’s name not in Govt House Bank account, funds withdrawal -EFCC witness testifies
By Abdul-Ganiyy Akanbi, Abuja
A witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mrs Abimbola Williams has told a Federal High Court in Abuja that the name of former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello did not feature in any of the account opening packages for Government House Bank account with the United Bank for Africa (UBA).
The witness, a Compliance Officer with UBA also admitted before the court that Bello’s name did not feature in all the withdrawals made from the account number 1003889575 managed by UBA for the Kogi Government House Administration while Yahaya Bello was the governor.
Testifying in a money laundering charges brought against the former governor by EFCC, the banker who was subpoenaed by court tendered the account opening packages for Government House Administration under the governorship of Bello.
The suboeana, according to the prosecution, requested for the production of the statement of account of one Maselina Njoku, from 1st January, 2019 to 31st December, 2020.
Led in evidence by EFCC counsel, Kemi Pinheiro SAN, the witness also tendered the account statements operated while Bello held sway as Chief Executive of Kogi state.
She read out series of withdrawals through cheques from the account for the government House operations.
Specifically, she named one Abdulsalami Hudu as the person handling fund withdrawals on behalf of the Government House.
However, under cross examination by Joseph Daudu SAN, the lead counsel to Yahaya Bello, the UBA Compliance Officer said that Bello’s name did not feature in virtually all transactions in respect of the bank account.
She also admitted that she was not the accounts officer of the Kogi Government House account and that the account is domiciled in Lokoja, Kogi State, and not in Area 3, Abuja, where she works.
The witness confirmed 10 withdrawals in favour of Abdulsalam Hudu, in the sum of N10 million each on December 12, 2018. She said the withdrawals were done with cheques and presented across the counter.
On cross-examination, the Defence Counsel, Joseph Daudu, SAN, asked the witness that, as a compliance officer, does her duty involve protecting the integrity of the bank from legal penalty, reputational damage and financial losses? “Yes,” she responded.
The witness was also asked to name the three signatories on the account, which she did.
For Alhaji Yakubu Ismail, who was Permanent Secretary, she said, “We only have his picture on this form.”
Daudu SAN asked, “Now, in both the account opening documents and the statement of account from E1 to E72, does the name ‘Yahaya Bello’ appear anywhere?”
“No, the name Yahaya Bello does not feature,” the witness responded.
The Defendant’s lawyer again asked, “Please look at Exhibit 2P1-3P62. Does the name ‘Yahaya Bello’ appear anywhere in the document?”
“My Lord, the name Yahaya Bello does not feature on the exhibits,” the witness answered.
Daudu SAN therefore closed his cross-examination.
The EFCC Counsel, moved to re-examine the witness. Daudu, SAN objected, but the judge allowed him after a brief argument.
Pinheiro SAN then asked the witness if she was familiar with the signature on the document.
She said she signed on behalf of one Edward Bananga.
But the Defendant’s Counsel again objected and moved to cross-examine the witness.
“My Lord, the witness initially disowned the signature, but under re-examination, the prosecution led her to admit it. Therefore, I have the right to challenge that admission and prove that her claim regarding the signature is incorrect,” he said.
“Cross examination is meant to prove the accuracy or veracity of the witness. I am entitled to disprove what she said. This is in the interest of justice,” Daudu SAN added.
He then asked the witness to read the document.
Reading from the document, she said, “I Edward Bananga hereby certified and confirmed that……”
‘I put it to you that You are not Edward Bananga,” the Defendant’s Counsel said.
“I am not Edward Bananga my lord,” the witness answered.
Another witness, Nicholas Ohehomon, from the American International School, was presented by the prosecution.
The exhibits tendered included the school’s statements of account, admission letters of the children of the defendant and payment receipts. The witness confirmed the different classes the children were admitted into.
Exhibit 12P was also tendered, which was a contractual agreement for post-paid school fees for the children.
The Prosecution presented a letter from the EFCC to AIS, Abuja, through the Registrar. It was marked Exhibit 18 and an account provided by the EFCC for a refund.
The court, thereafter, adjourned to 7th March for continuation of trial.
By Uthman Baba-Al-Naseer, Minna
A total of Forty Five inmates on awaiting trial and Convicts have breath the air of freedom during the visit of the Chief Judge of Niger State, Justice ♎ Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik statewide working visit to Correctional Centres
The Chief Judge commenced the four days working visit on the 6th,March 2025 in Suleja Federal Medium Correctional centre where five convicts were pardoned for being remorseful while serving their jail terms.
Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik,in continuation of the visit to bring relief to the correctional facilities across the state, was at the Minna old Medium Correctional centre between Monday, 10th,and Tuesday,11th,2025 and a total of twelve Convicts were discharged.
Also, the Chief Judge ordered for the summary trial of fourteen others to be given lighter convictions from the date of their arrest and detention in the correctional Custody.
At the Minna new Medium Correctional centre in Tunga, a total of twenty five other inmates standing trial were discharged by the Chief Judge while twelve inmates standing trial on various Offences had their cases reviewed.
Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik concluded the working visit to Children remand home at Angwan Daji where she released five under aged children two among them were kidnapped.
Equally,the Chief judge granted bail to two siblings Anas Umar,and Mubarak Umar who were arrested at Gauraka in Tafa Local government area of Niger State.
They were alleged to have been in possession of aluminum believed to have been stolen and sold to scrap dealers (Yan gwongwon).
The Chief Judge directed the Ministry of women affairs to take the adoption of the two siblings with the aim of keeping them in their custody for proper upbringings.
Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik, while expressing her disgust on the increasing rates of crime among juveniles,in the state, she called on parents and guardians to leave up to their responsibility of inculcating proper upbringings to their children.
She noted that the involvement of Anas into crime was initiated by his brother stating that their parents have deviated from their parental responsibilities.
Law & Crime
Rivers Crisis: State Assembly in another troubled water ……. Wants DSS to Probe CJ over alleged age forgery
By Our Reporter
The trial of the immediate past Governor of Kwara State, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, and his Finance Commissioner, Ademola Banu, over alleged misappropriation of N5.78 billion in public funds continued on Wednesday, March 11, 2024, before Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin.
At the resumed hearing on Wednesday, the EFCC presented its second witness (PW 2), Dr. Musa Oladimeji Dasuki, a retired Permanent Secretary at the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), who served between 2011 and 2020.
Led in evidence by EFCC counsel Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, Dasuki testified that the Kwara State Government, under the leadership of the first defendant as governor and the second defendant as finance commissioner, requested UBEC funds for the years 2013 and 2014 to pay teachers’ salaries.
According to Dasuki: “The then Commissioner for Finance, Ademola Banu, who is the second defendant in this case, initially made an oral request for the release of the 2013 UBEC Matching Grant to pay teachers’ salaries. However, we insisted that such a request must be made in writing. Subsequently, the commissioner sent a letter conveying His Excellency’s approval for the release of the funds. As a result, the money was deposited into the state government’s account domiciled with Skye Bank Plc.”
Dasuki further explained that SUBEB initially opposed the request because they knew it would affect ongoing projects. However, they eventually approved the release after receiving assurances from Banu that the funds would be repaid once the state received its allocation from Abuja.
“A letter was written to that effect from the office of the Commissioner for Finance, signed on his behalf, and the money was released immediately upon receiving the letter,” he added.
Despite the assurances, Dasuki stated that the money was never repaid.
“According to the 2013 action plan submitted to UBEC, the funds were intended for the construction of 40 standard classroom blocks with offices, 40 VIP toilets, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) centers in primary and junior secondary schools across the 16 Local Government Areas of Kwara State. However, many of these projects could not be executed because the funds had been diverted,” he said.
He further testified that many contractors protested due to non-payment for completed projects.
During cross-examination by Jimoh Mumini, SAN, counsel to the first defendant, Dasuki confirmed that neither the former governor nor the finance commissioner was a member of SUBEB. He also clarified that the loans were obtained on behalf of the state government, not in the defendants’ personal capacities.
Further hearing has been adjourned until Thursday, March 13, 2025.
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