The federal high court in Abuja on Thursday heard how large cash deposits linked to Yahaya Bello, former governor of Kogi, were allegedly converted into dollars and handed to an associate.
Jamilu Abdullahi, a bureau de change (BDC) operator, testified as the 12th prosecution witness in the trial, which centres on an alleged N80.2 billion money laundering case filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Led in evidence by Kemi Pinheiro, counsel to the EFCC, Abdullahi told the court that multiple cash payments were made into the account of E-Traders International Limited on different dates.
He said the deposits were made by Abba Adaudu, with whom he dealt directly in the course of the transactions.
Abdullahi said though his name appeared in varying forms on some transaction records, he was not responsible for making the deposits.
“The names reflected were used as narration, but I did not make the deposits at the Lokoja branch,” he said.
The witness added that after receiving the funds, he converted the naira into United States dollars and handed the cash to Adaudu.
According to him, the transactions spanned several dates, including October 2021 and March 2022.
Abdullahi also told the court that his company, Kunfayakun Global Limited, received N100 million and N400 million in December 2021 from Keyless Nature Limited, which he said is linked to Adaudu.
He said the funds were meant for dollar purchases and were subsequently converted and delivered.
The BDC operator further testified that in February 2022, he received N600 million in tranches and an additional N325 million through RTGS into accounts linked to the transactions, all for the same purpose.
The witness said the dollars were handed over either at his office or at Adaudu’s office in Area 8, Abuja.
“What I can recall is that he usually comes to my office to collect the dollars,” he said.
Proceedings were briefly interrupted when J.B. Daudu, counsel to the defendant, raised an objection, arguing that the prosecution was attempting to contradict its own witness without declaring him hostile.
“If the witness intends to contradict himself, he should be declared hostile,” he said.
Pinheiro, however, countered that the witness had remained consistent, adding that any variation in his testimony was due to the passage of time.
Emeka Nwite, presiding judge, adjourned the case to April 24 for ruling on the objection and continuation of trial.
