1 month ago
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Justice Maryann Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court has adjourned proceeding successful the alleged wealth laundering lawsuit instituted against the contiguous past politician of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, to November 12 aft the EFCC called its sixth witness.
When the lawsuit was called for the proceeding yesterday, the prosecution called its 5th witness, Victoria Oluwafemi, a compliance serviceman with Polaris Bank.
The witnesser told the tribunal the full recognition to the relationship successful question, which came from antithetic senders, adding that the transfers from the relationship were successful multiples of N10 million.
She said the full recognition successful November 2021 was N450 million.
When cross-examined by the counsel to the 1st defendant, Joseph Daudu (SAN), the witnesser admitted that she was not the accounts serviceman for the 2 accounts with her bank.
She admitted besides that, due to the fact that she was not the accounts serviceman oregon narration manager, she did not cognize however the transactions connected these accounts were carried out.
Counsel to the 2nd Defendant, AM Aliyu, portion cross-examining the witness, said, “Look astatine the information my learned member showed you successful Exhibit M. Does the sanction Abdulsalam Hudu not diagnostic there?”
“That is correct. Abdulsalam Hudu’s sanction was not featured,” she responded.
The Sixth Prosecution Witness (PW6), Mshelia Arhyel B, was past called for cross-examination.
Daudu, SAN, told the tribunal that helium had not concluded the cross-examination of the aforesaid witnesser successful different tribunal connected a akin taxable matter.
The court, however, held that the substance earlier it was autarkic and that the Defence Counsel held the discretion to cross-examine oregon not.
The prosecution sought to tender definite documents done the subpoenaed witnesser during the proceeding.
Counsel to the archetypal Defendant objected to the documents’ admissibility, arguing that they did not comply with the provisions of Sections 83 and 84 of the Evidence Act.
He further indicated his volition to code the Court much extensively connected the points of objection later.
Counsel to the 2nd Defendant, Aliyu, besides objected, relying connected the aforesaid statutory grounds.
The prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, urged the tribunal to discountenance the objections raised by the defence squad and admit the documents successful evidence.
The tribunal admitted the document, a 218-page connection of relationship of Alusha Services, signed by the witness, Mshelia Arhyel, and marked P1 en bloc.
The prosecution posed akin questions to the aforesaid witnesser astatine the June 26, 2025, introspection earlier Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court.
He reiterated that, earlier 2023, determination was nary strict withdrawal bounds arsenic agelong arsenic the magnitude written connected the cheque did not transcend ₦10 million.
The EFCC counsel told the witnesser to analyse the transactions from February 22nd, 23rd, and 25th, March 3rd, 2016, to May 6th, 2022.
He confirmed aggregate transactions of N10 cardinal each but admitted they were wrong the support threshold, putting the full transactions arsenic of January 31, 2018, astatine N707,267,000.
“Please corroborate that, notwithstanding the aggregate withdrawals made connected the aforesaid day, they were each wrong the approved withdrawal threshold,” prosecution counsel said.
“Yes, my Lord,” the witnesser responded.
On the relationship connection of Aleshua Solutions Services and transactions from May 6, 2022, the witnesser said the archetypal introduction was a $2,500 transportation successful favour of Aleshua Solutions Services by B.O. Rosemary Chukwuma.
“The 2nd is simply a transportation successful favour of Yau for $5,000. The 3rd is besides a currency transportation of $5,000 to Yau,” helium stated.
The witnesser besides confirmed definite transactions from the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service successful December 2016, totalling N202 million.
The justice indicated that the league indispensable extremity astatine 3 p.m. and adjourned the lawsuit to November 12 and 13, 2025, to proceed the introspection of the sixth witness.
At the preceding hearing, the 3rd prosecution witnesser said the defendants did not breach banking regulations.
The witness, Williams Abimbola, a Compliance Officer with UBA, had besides admitted not being the narration oregon relationship manager of the Kogi Government House account, noting that the transactions were successful enactment with stipulated guidelines.
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