Alleged N80 Billion Fraud: EFCC witness says Yahaya Bello’s name not on Kogi Government account documents 

She gave her testimony as a subpoenaed witness presented by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in its N80 billion alleged money laundering case against the ex-governor.

Naijaonpoint previously reported that the General Manager of EFAB Properties Limited, Segun J. Adeleke, testified last Monday that former Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello’s name did not appear on the documents for two properties, collectively worth about N550 million, purchased from the company at the time of acquisition.

Bello had earlier pleaded not guilty before Justice Emeka Nwite following his arraignment by the EFCC.

The former governor and others are accused of conspiring in February 2016 to convert N80,246,470,088.88, allegedly obtained through a criminal breach of trust, in violation of Section 18(a) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended).

At the resumed proceedings on Thursday, Williams, led in evidence by EFCC lawyer Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), confirmed that 10 withdrawals were made from the government account in favour of Abdulsalam Hudu, each amounting to N10 million, on December 12, 2018.

During cross-examination by Bello’s lawyer, Joshua Daudu (SAN), NAIJAONPOINT confirmed that the former governor’s name did not appear in the account opening documents or its management records.

Daudu then asked, “Now, in both the account opening documents and the statements of account from Exhibits ‘E1 to E72,’ does the name ‘Yahaya Bello’ appear anywhere?”   

Her response was, “No, the name Yahaya Bello does not feature.”   

Naijaonpoint reports that the EFCC and other security agencies had declared Bello wanted, citing their inability to track his whereabouts or arrest him at the time.

In this case, the EFCC later accused the Kogi State government of using its “immunity” to shield Bello.

The EFCC eventually arrested Bello and filed another fraud case against him at the FCT High Court. Both matters are currently pending.