Mashelia Bata, a witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Thursday told a Federal High Court how over N1 billion was withdrawn from the Kogi State Government House Administration account within a span of four days.
Testifying as the fourth prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, Bata, a compliance officer at Zenith Bank’s Maitama branch, gave detailed insights into a series of transactions carried out from the state’s accounts between 2016 and 2023.
Bello is currently facing a 19-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering involving a total of N80 billion.
Led in evidence by EFCC lead counsel, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), Bata confirmed that Zenith Bank had attached certificates of identification to the account statements submitted in compliance with a subpoena.
The court admitted statements of the Kogi Government House Administration account, along with those of six other entities, as exhibits.
The other accounts include those held by Adamu Jagafa Ishaya, Whales Oil and Gas, Jimeda Properties Nigeria Limited, and Alyeshua Solutions.
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Bata explained that prior to the Central Bank’s enforcement of the cashless policy, withdrawal limits stood at N500,000 for individuals and N10 million for corporate entities.
When asked about a transaction dated May 23, 2016, involving one Abdulsalami Hudu, Bata confirmed it was a N10 million cash withdrawal—the maximum allowed by cheque at the time.
He further testified that between January 30 and February 2, 2018, the sum of N1,096,830,000 was withdrawn in multiple cash transactions from the Government House account.
Bata also outlined suspicious patterns of inflows and outflows in May 2018, noting that nearly every credit entry was followed almost immediately by a debit transaction via cheque.
In addition, the EFCC tendered account opening documents and comprehensive bank statements covering the period from 2016 to 2023 as part of its evidence.
, on Thursday told a Federal High Court how over N1 billion was withdrawn from the Kogi State Government House Administration account within a span of four days.){kind=link}