EFCC tenders fresh bank records as Yahaya Bello’s trial continues
The trial of a former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, continued on Thursday, January 15, 2026, before Justice Maryanne Anineh of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, Abuja, with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) tendering additional bank records as evidence.
Bello is being prosecuted alongside Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu on a 16-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving about ₦110.4 billion.
At the resumed hearing, the prosecution, led by Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, proceeded with the cross-examination of Prosecution Witness Six (PW6), Mashelia Arhyel Bata, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank, who explained various entries in bank statements already admitted in evidence.
Under cross-examination by defence counsel, J.B. Daudu, SAN, the witness said he could not determine the purposes of several transactions reflected in the accounts, including payments and withdrawals involving individuals and companies linked to the case.
Counsel to the third defendant, Z.B. Abbas, also questioned the witness, who confirmed that withdrawals were made through duly signed cheques by authorised signatories. An objection by the prosecution to suggestions that the third defendant merely acted in an official capacity was upheld by the court.
After PW6 was discharged, the EFCC called Prosecution Witness Seven (PW7), Mohammed Bello Hassan of Keystone Bank, who tendered the statement of account of Dantata and Sawoe Construction and identified multiple ₦10 million credit transactions totalling ₦100 million.
The prosecution further called Prosecution Witness Eight (PW8), Gabriel Ocha of FCMB, and Prosecution Witness Nine (PW9), A.D. Ojoma of Sterling Bank, who tendered account documents and testified on several high-value inflows and outflows involving companies and payments traced to the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service.
Justice Anineh adjourned the matter until Friday, January 16, 2026, for continuation of trial.
