Olomotane Egoro, the 10th prosecution witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the alleged money-laundering trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has insisted that the cash withdrawals cited in court complied with Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) guidelines.
Egoro, a compliance officer at Access Bank Plc, told the court that he has worked with the bank since May 2023. He confirmed that Aminu Olanrewaju, identified as one of the individuals who made withdrawals from the Kogi State Government House Administration Account, was an authorised signatory to the account.
Under cross-examination, the witness said documents from the account-opening package showed that Olanrewaju was a civil servant and Director of Accounts in the Kogi State Government House Administration.
Egoro explained that, as a bank official, he had no knowledge of the internal operations of the Government House account and could not determine the ultimate use of the withdrawn funds beyond what transaction records indicated. He gave similar testimony earlier before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The banker also stated that Yahaya Bello was neither a local government chairman nor linked by name to any of the transactions presented in court, including dealings between Kogi local governments and Fazab Business Enterprise, among others.
According to him, the transactions covered payments for items such as sporting equipment, agrochemicals, farm inputs and medical consumables. He specified that a ₦10.6 million lodgement from Ibaji Local Government was for agrochemicals, ₦7.3 million from Mopa Muro Local Government was for relief materials, while ₦9.9 million from Ofu Local Government was also for agrochemicals.
During examination-in-chief, the court admitted a subpoena signed by the Managing Director of Access Bank, which contained the statements of the Kogi State Government House Administration Account from January 2016 to January 2024. The documents also included account statements of several companies, including Westwood Motors Limited, Fozad Oil and Gas Limited, Bespoque Global Concept Limited, E-Traders International Limited and Keyless Nature Limited.
Counsel to the second and third defendants objected to the admissibility of the documents, arguing that the certificate of identification did not comply with the Evidence Act. He said he would elaborate in his final written address. Prosecuting counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, dismissed the objection as a “fishing expedition” and said he would respond fully at the final address stage.
Justice MaryAnne Anenih admitted the documents provisionally, noting that the court would rule on their admissibility later if the objections proved valid. The Kogi Government House account was admitted as Exhibits AH1 and AH2, while the statements of the other companies were marked Exhibits AG to AR.
The prosecution led the witness to confirm multiple cash withdrawals from the Government House account, including withdrawals made on 24 December 2018 and several ₦10 million withdrawals between 15 and 16 January 2018 by Aminu Jimoh Olanrewaju, as well as another withdrawal on 8 March by Abdulsalami Hudu. Egoro confirmed that the bank filed a Suspicious Transaction Report with the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) in line with standard banking procedures.
He also confirmed that several credit inflows from local government areas entered the account in May 2022, alongside cash withdrawals by Yakubu Siyaka Adabenege.
However, under cross-examination, Egoro maintained that no law was breached in the transactions and reiterated that all withdrawals complied with CBN regulations.
Justice Anenih adjourned the case to 10, 11 and 12 March 2026 for the continuation of the witness’s cross-examination.