The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday adjourned the trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, in the alleged N82bn money laundering case to January 29, 2025.
Justice Emeka Nwite fixed the new dates to enable the prosecution, led by Kemi Pinheiro, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, conclude the examination of the seventh witness presented by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Olomotame Egoro, a Compliance Officer with Access Bank.
At Tuesday’s proceedings, the prosecution sought to tender documents marked as Exhibits 33 (1–11) and 34 through Egoro.
However, defence counsel, Abdullahi Yahaya, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, objected, arguing that the documents were unfamiliar to the defendant and that the certificate attached to them was signed by one Faruk Idiaro, not the witness in court.
Yahaya further contended that the documents served on the defence in the proof of evidence differed from what was being tendered in court.
In response, Pinheiro maintained that although the certificates of identification might differ, the accompanying documents were the same. He then urged the court to stand down the matter briefly to allow the defence verify the documents.
Justice Nwite granted the request and directed both parties to reconcile the discrepancies before continuing.
Upon resumption, Egoro explained that the statement of account of the Kogi State Government House Administration, covering December 2018 to August 2021, contained seven columns, which he went on to interpret.
He identified cash payments of N50m made in tranches of N10m each to one Aminu J.O on December 21, 2018, and separate withdrawals in N10m tranches to Abdulsalam Hudu on August 1, 2019.
The witness also examined Exhibit 33-8, a statement of Fazac Business Enterprise from January 2019 to December 2022, noting inflows from several local governments ranging between 4.49m and N14.45m, including payments of N7.12m and N9.4m on May 9, 2022.
After listening to the testimony, Justice Nwite adjourned the case to January 29, 30, and February 4 and 5, 2026, for continuation of hearing.
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