An Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee (EFCC) witness on Monday refused to substantiate the legality or illegality of bank entries within the N3 billion alleged cash laundering trial of Ali Bello, the nephew of Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, and others, earlier than the Federal Excessive Courtroom in Abuja.
Femi Remigus, a compliance officer at Zenith Bank Plc, who was offered by the EFCC, mentioned he didn’t know whether or not the related bank transfers within the case have been lawful.
Nairametrics beforehand reported on April 8, 2025, that Remigus tendered displays, together with bank statements, earlier than Justice Obiora Egwuatu, explaining how tens of millions of naira have been deposited into Korforte Idea Restricted’s bank account from the accounts of varied native authorities areas in Kogi State on totally different dates in 2018.
Bello is at present the Chief of Employees to Kogi State Governor Usman Dodo.
Authorized Dispute
Nairametrics experiences that the EFCC had, on February 8, 2023, arraigned Ali Bello, Abba Daudu, Yakubu Siyaka Adabenege, Iyada Sadat, and Rashida Bello (at giant) on 18 counts of prison misappropriation and cash laundering, amounting to N3,081,804,654.00.
Rely one of many expenses reads:
“That you simply, ALI BELLO, ABBA DAUDU, YAKUBU SIYAKA ADABENEGE, IYADA SADAT, RASHIDA BELLO (at giant), someday in June 2020, in Abuja, inside the jurisdiction of this Honourable Courtroom, procured E-Merchants Worldwide Restricted to retain the combination sum of N3,081,804,654.00 (Three Billion, Eighty-One Million, Eight Hundred and 4 Thousand, Six Hundred and Fifty-4 Naira), which sum you fairly should have recognized types a part of proceeds of illegal exercise, to wit: prison misappropriation, and also you thereby dedicated an offence opposite to sections 18(a), 15(2)(d) of the Cash Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 (as amended), and punishable beneath part 15(3) of the identical Act.”
The defendants pleaded “not responsible” to all the fees, paving the best way for trial.
On the proceedings in April, EFCC counsel Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) led Remigus in proof.
The witness acknowledged that on particular dates, cash was transferred from the mentioned account into a number of the defendants’ accounts, particularly Daudu’s.
He added that earlier than the inflows, the quantity in Korforte Idea’s account was solely “N7,275.”
In line with him, on the date of the inflows, N105 million was transferred to Abba Daudu and others.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu admitted the displays into proof, noting that their probative worth could be decided on the judgment stage.
The court docket then fastened Could 5, 19, 20, and 21 for the continuation of the trial.
What Transpired in Courtroom
On the resumed sitting, counsel for a number of the defendants, Nureini Jimoh (SAN), requested the compliance officer whether or not, after forwarding sure account statements to the EFCC, he did something additional with the Fee in relation to the matter.
- The witness responded within the affirmative, saying that in 2023, the bank offered the EFCC with a tough copy of the account assertion dated April 14, 2023.
- He admitted that even after the EFCC filed the matter, he continued submitting paperwork to the Fee concerning the case.
- The lawyer requested the witness to substantiate whether or not there have been any transfers to or from the related bank accounts by Abba Daudu, Yakubu Siyaka Adabenege, Iyada Sadat, or Rashida Bello on January 24 and 25, 2022.
“As per entries, I didn’t see their names from January 24 to January 25, 2022,” the witness responded.
- The witness advised the choose that, as a compliance officer, he is aware of his bank is a law-abiding monetary establishment.
“ that every one the inflows and outflows within the bank accounts are lawful—that’s the reason your bank handled them or allowed them?” the senior lawyer requested.
“I didn’t examine the customer to know if the transfers have been lawful or illegal,” the bank employees replied.
- The lawyer pressed additional, asking the witness to substantiate to the court docket that the entries within the bank accounts have been “not lawful, and your bank allowed them.”
“I don’t know if the entries are lawful or not lawful,” the witness replied.
After his testimony, the compliance officer was discharged from the witness field.
Justice Egwuatu then adjourned the case to Could 19, 20, and 21 for continuation of the trial.
What You Ought to Know
The EFCC is prosecuting defendant Ali Bello in one other related case.
The sister case is earlier than Justice James Omotosho.
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