Federal High Court sitting in Abuja Monday adjourned until June 19 an amended money laundering charge brought against Ali Bello and his co-accused, Daudu Sulaiman by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice James Omotosho adjourned for continuation of trial after the EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, led into evidence, Olom Otane Egoro, a witness.
In a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/550/2022, Ali Bello and Dauda Suleiman are standing trial on a 10-count indictment bordering on money laundering allegations leveled against them by the anti-graft agency.
They however pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Oyedepo at the resumed hearing presented Egoro, an Access Bank employee of the Compliance Unit, as the Commission’s sixth prosecution witness (PW6).
The banker told the court that the EFCC through a letter requested the bank statement of the Kogi State Government House for the period 2018 to 2021.
He said the committee also requested other documents, including the mandate to open an account for the account and a certificate of compliance regarding the prints.
The documents were accordingly admitted into evidence by the court.
At the proceedings, both counsel for the first defendant (Ali Bello), Abubakar Aliyu, SAN, and that of the second defendant, Olusegun Jolaawo, SAN, objected to the admissibility of the documents.
The witness then reviewed the account statement, which contained details of the various deposits and withdrawals thereof via transfers and cash.
Based on his evidence, Egoro said the withdrawals did not exceed N10 million at any point.
The witness also did not explain who deposited the money, what the money was deposited for, or who withdrew it and for what purpose while giving testimony.
Judge Omotosho has since adjourned the matter to June 19 and 20, 2024 for continuation of the trial.
