No Banking Guidelines Damaged In Yahaya Bello Withdrawals, EFCC Witness Tells Court docket

A witness for the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee (EFCC), Williams Abimbola, on Wednesday advised Justice Maryann Anenih of a Excessive Court docket within the Federal Capital Territory that no banking regulation was violated within the withdrawals made by the Kogi State Authorities Home administration underneath former Governor Yahaya Bello.

Bello, alongside Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, are going through a 16-count cost bordering on alleged legal breach of belief and cash laundering to the tune of N110.4bn, introduced in opposition to them by the federal authorities.

Abimbola, a Compliance Officer with the United Financial institution for Africa (UBA), mentioned the financial institution acted strictly throughout the legislation in processing the transactions carried out by one of many defendants, Abdulsalami Hudu, within the ongoing cash laundering trial.

Throughout cross-examination by defence counsel, A. M. Aliu, she said that not one of the withdrawals exceeded the N10m money withdrawal restrict permitted by banking rules.

The witness, who had earlier testified earlier than the Federal Excessive Court docket in case quantity FHC/ABJ/CR/98/2024 between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Yahaya Adoza Bello, confirmed that the Kogi Authorities Home account was domiciled in Lokoja however maintained that every one transactions complied with stipulated banking procedures.

She clarified that though she was not the connection or account supervisor of the Authorities Home account, the withdrawals and transfers made via the financial institution have been correctly documented and inside regulatory bounds.

Beneath cross-examination by Yahaya Bello’s counsel, Joseph Daudu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, the witness agreed that her accountability as a compliance officer included defending the financial institution from authorized, reputational, and monetary dangers.

She, nevertheless, reiterated that no legislation was breached within the transactions underneath scrutiny.

Abimbola confirmed that Abdulsalami Hudu made a number of withdrawals of N10m every between July 31 and August 6, 2019, however mentioned she was not ready to know the aim of the withdrawals. She defined that whereas banks typically request the aim of a switch, such inquiries aren’t obligatory for money withdrawals.

“There was no withdrawal that went past N10m in all of the transactions offered earlier than the court docket,” she mentioned.

The witness, who has labored with UBA for 19 years, mentioned clients are entitled to withdraw their funds so long as correct authorization is supplied.

She recognized the authorised signatories to the Kogi Authorities Home account as of 2004 as Christopher Enefola, Everlasting Secretary; Onekutu Daniel, Chief Accountant; and Hudu Abdulsalami, Accountant. She additionally referenced a 2008 letter itemizing Elder P. S. Ocheni, Abbas Ibrahim Abubakar, and Abdulsalami Hudu as signatories.

When offered with a Could 27, 2019, financial institution assertion by defence counsel, the witness confirmed that the credit score narration learn “Governor’s Safety Fund” and mirrored two tranches of N50m every.

Requested whether or not she might affirm that the funds weren’t used for safety functions, she replied, “My Lord, I’m not aware of the small print of the transaction and can’t categorically reply that query.”

She additional testified that she had by no means met the primary defendant, Yahaya Bello, or the second defendant, Umar Oricha, earlier than the case.

In the meantime, counsel to the primary defendant, Daudu, urged the court docket to listen to a pending utility difficult its jurisdiction earlier than continuing with additional testimonies. However prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, opposed the transfer, arguing that the appliance was not ripe for listening to.

The EFCC additionally referred to as its fourth subpoenaed witness, Jesutoni Akoni, a Compliance Officer with Ecobank, who offered a 13-page doc earlier than the court docket.

Nevertheless, counsel to the second defendant, A. M. Aliyu, objected to its admissibility, citing non-compliance with the Proof Act.

It was later found that the doc was addressed to Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal Excessive Court docket. The prosecution consequently withdrew the quilt letter.

Throughout cross-examination, Akoni admitted that Abdulsalami Hudu’s identify was not among the many signatories to the account in query.

Justice Maryann Anenih adjourned additional listening to within the matter to October 9, 2025.