A former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Joseph Daudu, SAN, has told the Federal High Court in Abuja that the ongoing ₦80.2 billion corruption trial of the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, is political and not a genuine money-laundering prosecution.
Daudu, who is lead counsel to Bello, made the submission on Wednesday during the continuation of the trial instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
During cross-examination of the seventh prosecution witness, Olomotane Egoro, a compliance officer with Access Bank Plc, the witness admitted that Bello’s name did not appear in any of the local government transactions under investigation.
He stated that the name “Yahaya Bello” did not feature either as sender or recipient of funds belonging to any of the 21 local government areas in Kogi State.
The witness further confirmed that, on the face of Exhibit 33(11), the transactions between the local governments and Keyless Nature Limited were consistent with normal banking transactions.
Daudu’s line of questioning followed remarks earlier made in open court by EFCC counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, who had described the payment pattern adopted by the local governments as “stealing by disguise.”
Under cross-examination, the Access Bank official also admitted that Bello never served as a local government chairman in any of the local governments in the state.
He explained that the contracts referenced in the bank records were awarded by local government chairmen to various contractors, as reflected in the account statements of companies tendered and admitted as exhibits by the court.
Responding to further questions, the witness said he did not know the purpose of several payments made by the 21 local governments into the account of Keyless Nature Limited, including transactions dated 11 October 2022.
Asked whether there was any record showing a business or contractual relationship between the local governments and Keyless Nature Limited, the witness replied in the negative.
He also agreed that customers were entitled to spend their funds as they wished, except where fraud was involved.
When asked whether Access Bank was under any court order or had received any fraud report in respect of the transactions contained in Exhibit 33(11), the witness answered in the negative.
On payments made into Fayzade Business Enterprise, the witness identified a 6 May 2022 inflow from Okene Local Government Area, stating that the purpose was for the supply of reading materials.
He further listed purposes of payments from other local governments, including education materials (₦4.4 million), medical items (₦7.5 million), sporting equipment (₦10.8 million), medical consumables (₦12.2 million), agrochemicals and farm inputs.
In response to a direct question by Daudu on whether Bello was a local government chairman in Kogi State, the witness replied, “No, the defendant was not a local government chairman.”
Justice Emeka Nwite thereafter adjourned the matter to 5 and 6 February 2026 for continuation of trial.