By Yemi Oyeyemi, Abuja
The trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, over an alleged ₦80.2 billion fraud continued on Wednesday before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, with the court insisting on strict compliance with procedural requirements before admitting certain documents.
Bello is standing trial on a 19-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of ₦80,246,470,088.88, preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
At the resumed proceedings on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, informed the court that the matter was fixed for the cross-examination of Prosecution Witness Seven (PW7), adding that the prosecution had three witnesses available.
PW7, Olomotane Egoro, a compliance officer with Access Bank Plc, was thereafter led into the witness box and affirmed that he remained under oath. During cross-examination by defence counsel, Joseph (J.B.) Daudu, SAN, the witness confirmed that he testified pursuant to a subpoena and tendered Exhibits 32, 33(1–11) and 34. He also disclosed that he had previously testified before another Federal High Court in relation to the same exhibits, though he could not recall the specific defendants or whether he appeared as PW2 in that matter.
The defence sought to tender Certified True Copies (CTCs) of documents from the other court. While Pinheiro said the prosecution had no objection to the documents, he raised a procedural issue, noting that there were no receipts to show payment for the CTCs. He also maintained that the witness had been consistent in his testimony.
In his ruling, Justice Nwite held that the documents could only be admitted upon presentation of the required receipts, agreeing with the prosecution. The defence subsequently informed the court that efforts were ongoing to retrieve the receipts.
Further cross-examination focused on bank transactions involving Keyless Nature Limited, Fazab Oil, Fayzade Business Enterprise and one Abba Adaudu. The witness confirmed a counter-cheque payment at the Otukpo Branch of Access Bank, as well as transfers, including ₦200,000 and ₦8 million, made in favour of Abba Adaudu.
On local government inflows, Egoro testified that the payments were made for stated purposes. He cited, among others, ₦7,500,144.61 from Okehi Local Government for the supply of medical items; ₦10,863,247.50 from Omala Local Government on June 3, 2022, for sporting materials; and ₦12,228,400.10 from Yagba East Local Government on June 6, 2022, for medical consumables. He also mentioned other payments for education materials, agrochemicals, farm inputs and related supplies.
The witness stated that entries in Exhibit 33(11), particularly transactions between local governments and Keyless Nature Limited, were consistent with normal banking transactions. He added that the account-opening package of Fazab Oil was not immediately available but could be retrieved.
During cross-examination, Daudu, SAN, argued that the case against the former governor was political rather than a genuine money-laundering prosecution. This followed remarks allegedly made earlier in open court by EFCC counsel suggesting that the mode of payments by Kogi State local governments amounted to “stealing by disguise.”
Under questioning, the Access Bank compliance officer admitted that Yahaya Bello was not a local government chairman in any of Kogi State’s 21 local government areas. He further confirmed that Bello’s name did not appear in any of the transactions under investigation, either as sender or recipient of the funds.
When asked whether he knew the purpose of certain payments made into the account of Keyless Nature Limited on October 11, 2022, the witness replied in the negative, adding that he did not know if there was any business or contractual relationship between the local governments and the company. He, however, noted that customers were entitled to spend their money as they wished, unless there was an issue of fraud.
He also confirmed that, in respect of the transactions contained in Exhibit 33(11), Access Bank was not acting under any court order and had no report of fraud.
Justice Nwite subsequently adjourned the matter to Thursday, February 5, and Friday, February 6, 2026, for the continuation of the cross-examination of PW7 and further proceedings in the trial.
