Witness reveals massive cash withdrawals in Yahaya Bello’s alleged N110.4bn fraud trial
A prosecution witness on Wednesday detailed before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Maitama, how billions of naira were allegedly siphoned from the Kogi State government’s coffers through massive cash withdrawals.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, alongside Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, on a 16-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving N110.4 billion.
Testifying before Justice Maryanne Anineh, the third prosecution witness, Abimbola Williams, a compliance officer with the United Bank for Africa (UBA), said several withdrawals running into hundreds of millions were made from the state government’s account in favour of one Abdulsalam Gudu.
She told the court that between December 2018 and August 2019, multiple cheque withdrawals ranging from N4 million to N10 million each were carried out, with some days recording as many as 10 transactions totalling N100 million. She added that within seven days, between July 31 and August 6, 2019, 64 separate withdrawals of N10 million each, amounting to N640 million, were made from the Government House account.
Williams said the records of the withdrawals were contained in a 251-page UBA bank statement tendered before the court.
Another witness, Jesutomi Akonni, a compliance officer with Ecobank, presented the account statement of one Moses Wanzo, showing cash deposits of N15 million, N20 million, and N19 million made between February and March 2016.
Counsel to the first defendant, J.B. Dauda (SAN), reminded the court of a pending application challenging its jurisdiction and urged that it be determined before the trial proceeds.
However, EFCC counsel, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), dismissed the objection as a delay tactic, arguing that the case had been in court for over a year. Justice Anineh adjourned the matter till Thursday, October 9, 2025, for continuation of trial.
