The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja, has adjourned the trial of the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, to Thursday, November 13, 2025, for continuation and cross-examination of the prosecution’s witness.
Justice Maryann Anenih adjourned following a request by the defence counsel, Joseph Daudu, to enable him cross-examine the sixth prosecution witness, Mshelia Bata, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank.
Both the prosecution and defence agreed to the adjournment.
At the resumed hearing, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) led Bata in evidence to give details of deposits and withdrawals from the Kogi State Government House Administration Account between February 2016 and February 2018.
The witness confirmed multiple transactions of ₦10 million each, totalling ₦1.09 billion as at February 2, 2018, all within the approved withdrawal limits.
Bata identified the first inflow into the account on December 6, 2016, amounting to ₦74.378 million, and noted cash withdrawals in tranches of ₦10 million, totalling ₦30 million, in favour of Muhammed Jamiu Salau. He also confirmed inflows from the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service into the same account.
Justice Anenih adjourned the matter to November 13 for the continuation of trial and cross-examination of the witness.
The witness had earlier testified that before 2023, banks did not strictly enforce withdrawal limits as long as single cheques did not exceed ₦10 million.
In a similar matter at the federal high court, Justice Emeka Nwite’s adjourned Bello’s trial to January 29, 2026 as the prosecution has called about seven witnesses so far.
The fourth prosecution witness, Mshelia Bata, a Compliance Officer with Zenith Bank, had reaffirmed during cross-examination that the withdrawals by the Kogi State Government did not contravene any banking regulation.
Bata also confirmed that Yahaya Bello’s name did not appear as a beneficiary in the account presented as evidence
(Editor: Anoyoyo Ogiagboviogie)
