FCT Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial to March 10, as EFCC witness maintains transactions breached no law

Bello

By KEMI KAYODE

The 10th Prosecution Witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in the ongoing alleged money laundering trial of the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, has maintained that the cash withdrawals by the individuals mentioned in his testimony were in line with the guidelines of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The witness, Olomotane Egoro,

a compliance officer with Access Bank Plc, said he had been working with the bank since May 2023.

He confirmed that one Aminu Jimoh Olanrewaju, who was earlier said to have made withdrawals from the Kogi State Government House Administration Account, was one of the signatories of the account.

He added, on cross-examination, that, from the details in the account opening package, Olanrewaju was a civil servant and Director Accounts in the Kogi State Government Administration.

The witness said, being an Access Bank official, he was not privy to the workings of the Kogi Government House Account and could not state what the funds that were withdrawn were meant for except for those that were detailed in the transactions.

He gave a similar testimony as the one before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court.

The banker admitted that the former governor was neither a local government chairman nor was his name linked to any of the transactions presented before the court.