By Vivian Okejeme Abuja
Justice Maryann Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, on Wednesday, adjourned the alleged money laundering trial of the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, to tomorrow, November 13, 2025.
The court granted the adjournment on the request of the Defendant’s Counsel, Joseph Daudu, SAN.
Both parties agreed to the adjournment for the cross examination of the EFCC’s witness, Mshelia Arhyel Bata, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank.
At the resumed hearing of the case instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission against the former governor, Arhyel Bata, the sixth prosecution witness, was asked to give details of deposits and withdrawals from the Kogi State Government House Administration Account between February 2016 and February 2018.
He confirmed multiple transactions of N10 million each, which he said, stood at N1.09bn as at February 2, 2018, all within the withdrawal limits.
He confirmed that the first inflow was on the 6th of December, 2016, in the sum of ₦74,378 million.
He also noted cash withdrawal, in multiples of N10 million, totaling ₦30 million, in favour of Muhammed Jamiu Salau.
The witness also confirmed inflow into the Government House account from the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service.
The EFCC Counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, later told the witness to look at Exhibit R1 — the statement of account (USD) of Wales Oil and Gas.
He confirmed an overseas transfer on 12th November, 2021, against the name Farida Oricha, a Corporate FX payment of $11,000.
The Zenith bank officer was later told to look at Exhibit P1 En Bloc, statement of account of Aleshua Solutions Services.
He said it was a USD domiciliary account belonging to Aleshua Solutions Services Limited and confirmed debit entries on items 1 and 13.
The witness said FX payments from Aleshua Solutions were in favour of American International School.
At this point, the Defence Counsel, Daudu SAN, sought for adjournment to the next day to enable him to cross-examine the witness.
The two parties agreed and Justice Anenih adjourned to tomorrow, November 13, for the cross-examination of the sixth witness.
The witness had, at the preceding hearing, reiterated that, prior to 2023, there was no strict withdrawal limit as long as the amount written on the cheque did not exceed ₦10 million.
He also confirmed multiple transactions of N10 million each but admitted they were within the approval threshold, putting the total transactions as at January 31, 2018 at N707,267,000.
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