I wasn’t with Access Bank when Kogi transactions were done, EFCC witness tells court

Bello

By JUMOKE SANNI

A prosecution witness in the alleged money laundering trial of the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, has said that the transactions between January 1, 2016 and April 2023, linked to the Kogi State Government in Exhibit AH1, were done before he joined Access Bank Plc.

The witness, Olomotane Egoro, also noted, during the continuation of cross-examination on Wednesday, that he was not the account officer of the account in question.

Egoro, who is the 10th witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in the ongoing trial, admitted, when asked, that his bank did not flout any rule of the Central Bank of Nigeria by approving the cheques brought by the third defendant, Abdulsalam Hudu.

On Exhibit AP, the banker noted that the opening package of that particular account (Fazab Business Enterprise) was not before the court.

He said he could not confirm the business for which Fazab Business Enterprise was registered, though he admitted that opening a corporate account required incorporation documents.

The banker added that he would not also know why the various local government areas paid money into Exhibit AP unless stated.

The Defendant’s Counsel, Zakari Abbas, asked if Access Bank approved all the cheques brought by one Yakubu Abenege.

“All the withdrawals were approved by the bank,” the witness responded.