Counsel to the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, Joseph Daudu, SAN, has told the Federal High Court in Abuja that the ongoing trial over alleged N80.2 billion fraud against his client is politically motivated and does not amount to money laundering.
Daudu made the submission on Wednesday during proceedings in the suit instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), following comments by EFCC counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, who had described the pattern of payments by local government areas in Kogi State as “stealing by disguise.”
Responding, Daudu argued that the allegations before the court were political in nature and not supported by evidence of money laundering.
Meanwhile, the seventh prosecution witness, Olomotane Egoro, a compliance officer with Access Bank Plc, testified that Bello’s name did not feature in any of the transactions being investigated.
Under cross-examination, the witness confirmed that the former governor never served as a local government chairman in any of Kogi State’s 21 local government areas and that the contracts referenced in the case were awarded by local government chairmen to various contractors.
Egoro further told the court that Bello’s name did not appear as either sender or beneficiary in any of the local government transactions under review. He also admitted that entries contained in Exhibit 33(11), detailing transactions between the local governments and Keyless Nature Limited, were consistent with normal banking operations.
When asked whether he knew the purpose of several payments made into Keyless Nature Limited’s account on October 11, 2022, the witness replied in the negative, adding that he could not determine from the bank records whether there was any contractual relationship between the local governments and the company.
The witness also agreed that customers are free to spend their funds as they deem fit, provided there is no indication of fraud. He confirmed that Access Bank was not acting under any court order concerning the transactions in Exhibit 33(11) and that there was no fraud report linked to them.
On payments made to Fayzade Business Enterprise, Egoro identified a transaction dated May 6, 2022, as an inflow from Okene Local Government Area, stating that the purpose was for the supply of reading materials.
He also outlined other payments from various local governments, including Ogorimagongo, Okehi, Omala, and Yagba, which were earmarked for education materials, medical items, sporting equipment, medical consumables, agrochemicals, and farm inputs, among others.
When asked directly whether Yahaya Bello was a local government chairman in Kogi State, the witness responded that he was not.
Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the case to February 5 and 6, 2026, for continuation of trial.
