By Ayomide Otitoju
Counsel to the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN), has described his client’s ongoing trial over the alleged ₦80.2 billion local government funds transfers as politically motivated, insisting that the case does not amount to money laundering.
Daudu made the assertion on Thursday at the Federal High Court, Abuja, during proceedings in the money laundering case instituted against Bello by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
His remarks followed submissions by EFCC counsel, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), who told the court that the pattern of payments made by local government councils in Kogi State amounted to “stealing in disguise.”
During the hearing, the seventh prosecution witness, Olomotane Egoro, a Compliance Officer with Access Bank, testified that Bello did not serve as chairman of any local government in Kogi State. He further stated that the contracts under investigation were awarded by local government chairmen to contractors for various purposes, as reflected in bank records tendered and admitted as exhibits.
Under cross-examination, the witness admitted that Bello’s name did not appear in any of the local government transactions under scrutiny, either as sender or recipient of funds. He also confirmed that entries in Exhibit 33(11), detailing transactions between the local governments and Keyless Nature Limited, were consistent with normal banking transactions.
Egoro further acknowledged that he could not ascertain from the records whether there was any contractual or business relationship between the local governments and Keyless Nature Limited. He also agreed that customers are entitled to spend their funds as they wish in the absence of fraud and confirmed that the bank was not acting under any court order nor had it filed any fraud report in relation to the transactions.
On payments made to Fayzade Business Enterprise, Daudu drew the court’s attention to transactions dated May 6, 2022, which listed purposes such as procurement of educational materials, medical items, sporting equipment, agrochemicals, farm inputs, and medical consumables. The payments, made by councils including Ogori Mangogo, Okehi, Omala, and Yagba, ranged from ₦4.4 million to ₦12.2 million, among others.
Justice Emeka Nwite subsequently adjourned the case to February 5 and 6, 2026, for continuation of the trial.
