- Court Adjourns Yahaya Bello’s Money Laundering Trial.
- Dispute over documentary evidence delays examination of EFCC witness.
- EFCC probes alleged misappropriation of public funds under Bello’s tenure.
The money-laundering trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, was adjourned on Tuesday to January 29 and 30, and February 4 and 5, 2026, following a fresh dispute between the prosecution and defence over documentary evidence presented in court.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, shifted proceedings to allow the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), led by Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), to conclude the examination of its seventh witness, Olomotame Egoro, a Compliance Officer with Access Bank.
During the resumed hearing, Pinheiro sought to tender documents labelled Exhibits 33 (1–11) and 34 while leading Egoro in evidence. Bello’s counsel, Abdullahi Yahaya (SAN), immediately objected, arguing that the exhibit “was not known” to the defendant and that the attached certificate of identification was irregular.
“The certificate dated the 17th was signed by one Faruk Idiaro and not the witness in the box. What the prosecution has tendered is not the same as what was served on the defendant,” Yahaya contended.
Pinheiro countered that although the certificate of identification might differ, “the substantive documents are the same” as those previously served. She requested the court to briefly stand the matter down to allow the defence to verify the documents’ authenticity.
Justice Nwite granted the request and instructed both parties to reconcile their positions before the trial could continue.
When proceedings resumed, Egoro testified about the Kogi State Government House Administration account from December 2018 to August 2021. He confirmed the account statements contained seven columns detailing dates, narration, withdrawals, deposits, and balances.
The witness identified a ₦50 million cash payment on December 21, 2018, to one Aminu J.O. in ₦10 million tranches, and multiple withdrawals on August 1, 2019, by Abdulsalam Hudu, highlighting a repeated pattern of ₦10 million tranches.
He also reviewed Exhibit 33-8, a statement for Fazac Business Enterprise from January 2019 to December 2022, noting inflows from various local governments on May 6, 2022, ranging between ₦4.49 million and ₦14.45 million, with further credits on May 9, including ₦7.12 million and ₦9.4 million, followed by sizeable withdrawals.
With more documents to review and further cross-examination pending, Justice Nwite adjourned the trial to the new dates in January and February 2026.
The adjournment followed Monday’s testimony of the fourth EFCC witness, Mshelia Arhyel Bata, a Compliance Officer with Zenith Bank, who stated that the withdrawals from the state government account did not breach any banking law. Under cross-examination, Bata noted: “The name of the former governor did not appear as a beneficiary in the account presented as evidence.”
The EFCC maintains that the transactions form part of a broader investigation into alleged money laundering of public funds running into billions of naira during Bello’s tenure as governor.
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