Yahaya Bello’s trial political, not money laundering, Daudu SAN tells court

Daudu

By KEMI KAYODE

… as EFCC witness confirms former governor’s name not linked to transactions.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Joseph Daudu and Counsel to the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, said at the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, that Bello was facing political trial and not money laundering charges.

He said this on Wednesday at the ongoing money laundering case instituted against Bello by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Daudu’s clarification followed the remarks in the open court by EFCC Counsel, Kemi Pinheiro SAN, that what happened in the mode of payments by Local Government Areas in Kogi state was stealing by disguise.

He said this just as the Seventh Prosecution Witness, Olomotane Egoro, a Compliance Officer with Access Bank, admitted in court that the former governor did not serve as local government chairman in any of the local governments in Kogi State.

The banker said this against the background that the contracts in question were awarded by local government chairmen for various purposes to contractors as stated in the bank accounts of some companies tendered and admitted as exhibits by the court.

The EFCC witness subpoenaed from Access Bank Plc, while being cross-examined by Daudu SAN, also reiterated that there was no mention of the name of the former governor in any of the local government transactions under investigation.