Olomotane Egoro, a compliance officer with Access Bank, has continued his testimony on how funds were allegedly transferred from Kogi LGA accounts in the trial of Yahaya Bello, former governor of the state.
Bello is facing trial at the federal high court in Abuja on
a 19-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering to the tune of N80.2
billion.
Egoro appeared before the court on Thursday to explain how
funds allegedly belonging to Kogi LGAs were traced to Fazab Business Enterprise
and E-traders International Limited.
‘HOW N2.5BN WAS PAID INTO FAZAB BUSINESS ACCOUNT BY KOGI
LGAs IN EIGHT MONTHS’
Led in evidence by Kemi Pinheiro, the prosecution counsel,
Egoro told the court that on May 6, 2022, there were 11 inflows into the Fazab
Business Enterprise account from different Kogi LGAs, including Yagba east,
Yala, Ida, and Okene.
The prosecution counsel showed the statement of account of
the company to the witness.
Asked to comment on the transactions made on May 9, 2022,
the witness said there were two transactions on the day.
The compliance officer said the inflows came into the
account from Ibaji and Dekina LGAs of Kogi state.
The witness said the total inflows into the company’s
account on May 6, 2022, amounted to N103,375,059.73, while the two inflows on
May 9, 2022, totalled N14,563,702.56, bringing the cumulative sum to
N117,938,762.29.
Asked to identify the individual who made cash withdrawals
for the inflows, the witness mentioned Yakubu Siyaka A.
He said Siyaka made cash withdrawals on several dates,
namely May 9, 10, 11, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 24 and 26, 2022.
The witness said the cash withdrawals made by Siyaka between
May 9 and May 26, 2022, amounted to N116,600,000.
Asked if the entire inflows within the stipulated period
were withdrawn, he responded in the affirmative.
The compliance officer told the court that by May 31, 2022,
only a balance of about N1.08 million remained in the account of Fazab.
He added that between June and July 2022, there were
consistent inflows from various Kogi LGAs to the company’s account.
He said the total inflows for June 2022 was N108,793,086.69,
while July 2022 recorded inflows of N141,718,056.30, bringing the total inflow
for both months to N250,511,142.99.
He told the court that during the same period, Siyaka made
cash withdrawals from the account.
He disclosed that the total cash withdrawals in June and
July 2022 summed up to N198,900,000.
Asked if almost N200 million was withdrawn in cash from the
inflows of the two months, the witness responded in the affirmative.
He added that similar credit and withdrawal patterns also
took place in August, September, October, November, and December 2022.
“That is over N2.5 billion paid into the account of Fazab
Business Enterprise from Kogi state local governments within eight months, from
May to December 2022,” the witness was quoted in a statement by EFCC.
He added that transfers were also made from Fazab account to
companies and individuals.
He said in August 2022, two transfers totalling N94,364,450
were made from the account.
According to him, the N40 million transfer was made in
favour of Konforte Koncept Company, while the N54,364,450 was transferred to
one Abba Adaudu.
‘N3.1BN KOGI LGA FUNDS WERE LODGED IN E-TRADERS
INTERNATIONAL ACCOUNT’
Speaking on the statement of account of E-traders
International Limited, the witness said the account opening package of the
company shows one Abdullahi Jamilu as the first signatory.
The compliance officer narrated how cash deposits were made
into the account of the company.
He said on July 26, 2021, there were seven cash deposits of
N10 million each made by Adaudu.
He told the court that on August 2, 2021, there were three
cash deposits amounting to N30 million, while on August 19, 2021, four cash
deposits were made by Adaudu.
He added that on August 25, 2021, Adaudu made 10 cash
deposits of N10 million each, and on August 30, 2021, six cash deposits were
made by him.
“All these deposits were made at the Lokoja branch of Access
Bank, the Kogi state capital,” the witness said.
Egoro said on August 31, 2021, there were five cash deposits
totalling N50 million, while on September 2, 2021, there were six cash deposits
of N10 million each by Adaudu at the Lokoja branch.
He stated that on October 8 and 11, 2021, there were 10 cash
deposits of N10 million each by Adaudu.
According to the compliance officer, between November 8 and
10, 2021, there were 37 cash deposits by Adaudu, each not exceeding N10
million, while on November 12, 2021, there were five cash deposits of N10
million each, totalling N50 million.
He also told the court that on November 30, 2021, there were
20 cash deposits by Abba Adaudu, and on December 1, 2021, there were 23 cash
deposits, none exceeding N10 million.
Egoro said Yusuf Abba made seven cash deposits on December 3
and 22, 2021, while on December 29 and 30, 2021, there were 12 cash deposits by
Haruna Mohammed at the Lokoja branch.
He told the court that three individuals made cash deposits
to the account.
The witness told the court that between July 26, 2021 and
April 6, 2022, a period of about eight months, the total cash deposits into the
E-traders International account amounted to N3,145,569,654.
At the end of the testimony, J.B. Daudu, counsel to Bello,
informed the court of an application seeking an order to release the former
governor’s passport to enable him travel for the lesser Hajj during the month
of Ramadan.
Emeka Nwite, the trial judge, granted the application.l
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