Counsel to the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, Joseph Daudu (SAN), on Wednesday told the Federal High Court in Abuja that the charges against his client were politically driven and had nothing to do with money laundering.
Daudu made the submission during the continuation of the trial instituted against Bello by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The defence lawyer was reacting to comments by the prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), who had alleged in open court that the pattern of payments made by local government councils in Kogi State amounted to theft carried out under the guise of official transactions.
Daudu argued that the prosecution had failed to establish any nexus between the former governor and the financial dealings being questioned by the anti-graft agency.
In his testimony, the seventh prosecution witness, Olomotane Egoro, a compliance officer with Access Bank, told the court that Bello never served as a chairman of any of the local government areas in Kogi State.
The banker explained that the contracts referenced by the prosecution were awarded by local government chairmen for different purposes and that the transactions were reflected in the accounts of companies tendered as exhibits before the court.
While being cross-examined by the defence, the witness stated that Bello’s name did not appear in any of the local government transactions under investigation, either as the originator or beneficiary of the funds.
Egoro also told the court that the transactions between the local governments and Keyless Nature Limited, as captured in Exhibit 33(11), were consistent with standard banking practices.
When asked whether he knew the purpose of multiple payments made on October 11, 2022, from the 21 local government areas into the account of Keyless Nature Limited, the witness said he had no knowledge of the intent behind the transactions.
He further admitted that the bank records did not indicate whether there was any contractual or business relationship between the local governments and the company.
The witness added that customers were entitled to use their funds as they deemed fit, provided there was no report or suspicion of fraud, noting that the bank was not acting under any court order in respect of the transactions.
On payments made to Fayzade Business Enterprise, Egoro identified a transaction dated May 6, 2022, as an inflow from Okene Local Government Area, with the stated purpose being the supply of reading materials.
He also listed payments from Ogorimagongo, Okehi, Omala and Yagba local government areas for education materials valued at N4.4m, medical supplies worth N7.5m, sporting equipment amounting to N10.8m and medical consumables estimated at N12.2m.
According to the witness, other transactions were made for purposes ranging from the purchase of agrochemicals and farm inputs to medical consumables.
When asked whether Bello was a local government chairman in the state, the witness replied in the negative.
Justice Emeka Nwite subsequently adjourned the case to February 5 and 6, 2026, for continuation of trial.
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