By Solomon Odeniyi
A prosecution witness, Remigius Egu, on Tuesday, narrated before a Federal High Court in Abuja how over N3 billion belonging to various Local Government Areas in Kogi State was allegedly diverted and laundered through private accounts.
Egu, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank, testified as the sixth prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of Ali Bello, nephew to former Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello and current Chief of Staff to Governor Usman Ododo; along with Yakubu Isiaka Adabenege, Abba Adaudu, and Iyada Sadat.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is prosecuting the four on an 18-count charge bordering on money laundering and misappropriation of public funds.
A statement on Tuesday by the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, led in evidence by EFCC counsel Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), Egu, confirmed several transactions traced to the account of Korforte Concept Limited, including suspicious inflows from different LGAs in Kogi State.
He said, “The witness, a Compliance Officer with Zenith Bank identified documents marked “Exhibits E and E1” as having originated from Zenith Bank. He also confirmed that a letter dated March 16, 2022, addressed to the EFCC Zonal Commander, pertained to an account belonging to a customer, Adabenege, the second defendant, and contained transaction evidence from the bank.
“In his breakdown of the transactions, the witness told the court that multiple inflows of large sums of money from several Kogi State LGAs were traced to the account of Korforte Concept Limited on October 4, 2023.
These he said were as follows: Ogori Magongo LGA: N14,844,640.57; Ibeji LGA: N18,629,944.51; Adavi LGA: N20,887,557.54; Kogi LGA: N17,929.59; Kabba/Bunu LGA: N18,460,569.12; Ajaokuta LGA: N22,764,334.70; Okene LGA: 20,758,710.37; Yagba West LGA: N18,234,063.61; Ofu LGA: N21,368,633.69. “My Lord, all the inflows were received on October 4, 2023.”
Earlier, the fifth prosecution witness, Oyinkosola Akerele Shukurat, Managing Director of Forza Oil and Gas Limited, told the court that her company received payments from a customer, Abdul Bashir, for the purchase of U.S. dollars used to pay school fees of Fatima, Na’ima, and Zara Bello at the American International School, Abuja, totalling $139,000.
She confirmed that $44,700 each was paid on behalf of Fatima and Na’ima Bello, as documented in the financial records presented to the court.
The case was adjourned by Justice Obiora Egwuatu to May 5, 19, 20, and 21, 2025, for continuation of trial.
