In a court hearing at the Federal High Court in Abuja, Justice James Omotsho presided over the trial of Ali Bello, the nephew of Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello.
Along with two other defendants, Ali Bello is facing charges of money laundering amounting to N10 billion.
During the trial, a prosecution witness disclosed to the judge that substantial amounts of money were transferred in instalments from both the accounts of the Kogi state government and the state’s Government House Administration account, raising suspicions of illicit transactions.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) revealed this in a statement on its X handle on Friday, January 12.
Part of the statement reads: “A prosecution witness in the trial of Ali Bello, nephew of Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello and two others, who are standing trial in a N10 billion money laundering case, on Thursday, January 11, 2023, told Justice James Omotsho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, that huge funds were transferred in tranches from the accounts of Kogi state government and that of the state’s government House Administration account in suspicious transactions.
“The defendants are being prosecuted on 10-count charges bordering on misappropriation and money laundering by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
“The witness, Bananda Edward, a Compliance Officer with United Bank of Africa, UBA, led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, presented a statement of account generated from UBA in respect of transactions in the state government and state government’s house administration accounts.
“In the statement of accounts, there were cash withdrawals on December 23, 2022, to the tune of N20 million which were withdrawn in tranches of N10 million each from the Kogi State Government account in favour of Kudu Abdulsalam.
“Oyedepo moved to tender the transactions as an exhibit in evidence but was opposed by A.M Alilu, counsel to the first defendant and Nureini Jimoh, counsel to the second defendant on the grounds that the documents did not satisfy the Bank Book 258 of the Evidence Act as well as Sections 89(h) and 91(e) of the same Evidence Act 2011.
“Responding, Oyedepo prayed the court to discountenance the arguments of the defence counsels, arguing that the documents are original and genuine in the form they appear.”
Source: X | officialEFCC
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