THE counsel to former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, Joseph Daudu (SAN), has described his client’s ongoing trial over alleged N80.2 billion local government fund transfers as politically motivated, rather than a genuine money laundering case.
The remarks were made at the Federal High Court in Abuja during proceedings instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
EFCC counsel Kemi Pinheiro (SAN) had claimed that the fund transfers by Kogi local governments amounted to “stealing in disguise.”
The seventh prosecution witness, Olomotane Egoro, a compliance officer at Access Bank, testified that Bello never served as a local government chairman and that the questioned contracts were awarded by actual chairmen.
He also confirmed that Bello’s name did not appear in any of the transactions and that the transfers, including those to companies like Keyless Nature Limited and Fayzade Business Enterprise, reflected legitimate banking activity.
Payments listed covered education materials, medical supplies, sporting equipment, agrochemicals, and farm inputs.
Under cross-examination, Egoro admitted he could not verify the purpose of all transactions nor confirm any contractual links between the local governments and the companies, and that there was no report of fraud or court order affecting the accounts.
Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the trial to February 5 and 6, 2026, for continuation.