{"id":838769,"date":"2025-04-03T16:13:05","date_gmt":"2025-04-03T21:13:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/03\/alleged-fraud-yahaya-bellos-name-not-on-bank-account-transaction-documents-efcc-witness\/"},"modified":"2025-04-03T16:13:05","modified_gmt":"2025-04-03T21:13:05","slug":"alleged-fraud-yahaya-bellos-name-not-on-bank-account-transaction-documents-efcc-witness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/03\/alleged-fraud-yahaya-bellos-name-not-on-bank-account-transaction-documents-efcc-witness\/","title":{"rendered":"Alleged fraud: Yahaya Bello\u2019s name not on bank account transaction documents \u2013 EFCC witness"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) witness, Mrs Abimbola Williams, on Thursday, said that former Gov. Yahaya Bello\u2019s name did not feature on the Kogi Government House Bank account.<\/p>\n

Williams told Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja during cross examination by the former governor\u2019s lead counsel, Joseph Daudu, SAN, in the ongoing money laundering trial.<\/p>\n

Williams, who was the 2nd prosecution witness (PW-2) in the trial, also said that she was not the United Bank for Africa (UBA)\u2019s account officer for the government house account.<\/p>\n

Earlier when the matter was called, the EFCC\u2019s lawyer, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, told the court that their PW-2, Abimbola Williams, who was on subpoena, was in court to give her evidence.<\/p>\n

Williams, a Compliant Officer with UBA, confirmed to the court that a further subpoena was served on the bank.<\/p>\n

Justice Emeka Nwite admitted the subpoena in evidence and marked it \u2018Exhibit 7\u2019 after Daudu did not oppose Pinhero\u2019s application to tender the document.<\/p>\n

The suboeana, according to the prosecution, requested for the production of the statements of account of Maselina Njoku, from Jan. 1, 2019 to Dec. 31, 2020.<\/p>\n

The witness confirmed that it was the request from the bank, adding that a certificate of compliance was also issued.<\/p>\n

While being led in evidence by Pinherio, Williams confirmed 10 withdrawals in favour of Abdulsalam Hudu, in the sum of N10 million each on Dec. 12, 2018.<\/p>\n

She said the withdrawals were done with cheques and presented across the counter.<\/p>\n

The PW-2, however, confirmed during cross-examination by Daudu, that the former Governor\u2019s name did not feature in the opening and management of the said Kogi Government House Bank account.<\/p>\n

She also agreed that the account is domiciled in Lokoja, the state\u2019s capital and not Area 3, Abuja, where she works.<\/p>\n

She agreed that a compliant officer, her duty involves protecting the integrity of the bank from legal penalty, reputational damage and financial losses.<\/p>\n

The witness mentioned the names of the three signatories on the account, including Alhaji Yakubu Ismail, who was said to be a permanent secretary.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, in both the account opening documents and the statements of account from Exhibits \u2018E1 to E72,\u2019 does the name, \u2018Yahaya Bello\u2019 appear anywhere?\u201d the senior lawyer asked Williams.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, the name Yahaya Bello does not feature,\u201d the witness responded.<\/p>\n

Daudu again asked, \u201cPlease look at Exhibits 2P1 to 2P62, does the name \u2018Yahaya Bello\u2019 appear anywhere in the document?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy Lord, the name Yahaya Bello does not feature on the exhibits,\u201d the witness answered.<\/p>\n

Pinhero, however, moved to re-examine the witness but Daudu objected.<\/p>\n

After a brief argument, Justice Nwite directed Pinhero to go on with the re-examination.<\/p>\n

The EFCC\u2019s lawyer then asked the witness if she was familiar with the signature on the document that carried the name, Edward Bananga, and she responded in the affirmative.<\/p>\n

The PW-2 said she signed the documents on behalf of one Edward Bananga.<\/p>\n

Responding, Daudu also applied to cross examine the witness but Pinhero disagreed.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy Lord, the witness initially disowned the signature, but under re-examination, the prosecution led her to admit it.<\/p>\n

\u201cTherefore, I have the right to challenge that admission and prove that her claim regarding the signature is incorrect,\u201d Daudu told the court.<\/p>\n

According to him, cross examination is meant to prove the accuracy or veracity of the witness.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am entitled to disprove what she said. This is in the interest of justice,\u201d Daudu added, and the judge allowed his argument.<\/p>\n

The defence lawyer then asked the witness to read the document in dispute.<\/p>\n

Reading from the document, she said, \u201cI Edward Bananga hereby certified and confirmed that\u2026\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Responding Daudu said: \u201cI put it to you that you are not Edward Bananga.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am not Edward Bananga, my lord,\u201d the witness answered.<\/p>\n

The prosecution also called another witness, Nicholas Ohehomon, from the American International School (AIS), as 3rd prosecution witness (PW-3).<\/p>\n

He was also led in evidence by Pinherio, the anti-graft agency\u2019s lawyer.<\/p>\n

The exhibits tendered included the school\u2019s statements of account, admission letters of the children of the defendant and payment receipts.<\/p>\n

The witness confirmed the different classes the children were admitted into.<\/p>\n

Exhibit 12P was also tendered, which was a contractual agreement for post-paid school fees for the children.<\/p>\n

The prosecution tendered a letter from the EFCC to AIS, Abuja, through the court registrar.<\/p>\n

The court marked it as Exhibit 18 and an account provided by the EFCC for a refund.<\/p>\n

Justice Nwite adjourned the matter until March 7 for continuation of trial.(NAN)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) witness, Mrs Abimbola Williams, on Thursday, said that former Gov. Yahaya Bello\u2019s name did not feature on the Kogi Government House Bank account. Williams told Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja during cross examination by the former governor\u2019s lead counsel, Joseph Daudu, SAN, in<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":838770,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[337,23628],"tags":[7379,7971],"class_list":{"0":"post-838769","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-alleged","8":"category-fraud","9":"tag-alleged","10":"tag-fraud"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/838769","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=838769"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/838769\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/838770"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=838769"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=838769"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=838769"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}