Yahaya Bello’s Trial: How Kogi cashier withdrew N1bn in tranches — Witness

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, sitting at Maitama, yesterday, heard how a cashier, Abdulsalam Hudu, withdrew over N1billion from a bank account that was operated by the Kogi state government house.

A witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mshelia Arhyel, who is a Compliance Officer with Zenith Bank Plc, made the revelation at the resumed hearing of a 16-count money laundering charge the anti-graft agency filed against the immediate past governor of the state, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.

According to the witness, Hudu, who is Bello’s co-defendant in the case, made the withdrawals within four days, in 2018.

Arhyel, who testified as the sixth prosecution witness, PW-6, added that the withdrawals were made in tranches of N10million per transaction.

Led in his evidence by the prosecution counsel, Mr. Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, the PW-6 told the court that Hudu, who is the 3rd defendant, withdrew the sum of N110,446,470,089 between January 30 and February 2, 2018, from the account.

Reading from a record of transaction the EFCC tendered in evidence before the court, the witness said some of the withdrawals included the sum of N350m on January 30, and another N347,267,000 on January 31, 2018.The witness further identified various cash transactions by the cashier, highlighting the sum of N200m that was taken from the account on February 21, 2016, through 21 withdrawals.

He told the court that as at December 21, 2016, the 3rd defendant had made a total of 40 separate withdrawals from the account.

More so, the witness disclosed that the cashier, on May 9, 2017, made multiple withdrawals totalling N203,240,000.

“My lord, I can confirm numerous cash withdrawals made by Absulsalam Hudu which are in an inconsistent pattern,” the witness added. However, he told the court that aside Hudu, one Umar Olufunke equally made withdrawals from the account.

in November and December 2016, as well as from January to April, 2017.

Meanwhile, trial Justice Maryann Anenih adjourned the matter till today to enable counsel to the defendants to cross-examine the witness.

Bello, who piloted the affairs of Kogi state from 2016 to 2024, is facing trial alongside two officials of the Kogi State government, Umar Oricha and Hudu.