The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday tendered key exhibits in the ongoing N3.08bn money laundering trial of Ali Bello, a nephew to former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, and four others.
The anti-graft agency presented its sixth prosecution witness, Femi Remigus, a compliance officer at Zenith Bank Plc, before Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Bello, who currently serves as the Chief of Staff to Kogi State Governor Usman Dodo, is standing trial alongside Abba Daudu, Yakubu Siyaka Adabenege, Iyada Sadat, and Rashida Bello (still at large).
The EFCC had arraigned the defendants on February 8, 2023, on 18 counts bordering on criminal misappropriation and money laundering of N3,081,804,654.
During Tuesday’s proceedings, Remigus detailed how multiple sums of money were paid into the account of Komfort Koncept Company in 2018 from various Kogi State local government accounts. He stated that the credited account initially had only N7,275 before the inflows.
“On October 4, 2018, there were nine separate credits, including N18.6m from Ibaji LGA, N20.8m from Adavi LGA, and N21.3m from Ofu LGA,” the witness said, adding that N105m was transferred to Daudu and others from the same account.
The EFCC lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), sought to tender documents including account statements and identification certificates. Though the defence objected, they reserved arguments for the final address. The court admitted the documents as exhibits.
Justice Egwuatu adjourned the case to May 5, 19, 20, and 21 for continuation of trial.
Meanwhile, Bello is also facing a similar trial before Justice James Omotosho in another division of the same court.
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