A Zenith Bank official testifying in Yahaya Bello’s trial told the court the former governor’s name appeared nowhere in the financial records tendered. He also denied being harassed by Bello’s aides, contrary to EFCC’s earlier claim.
The fourth prosecution witness in the trial of former Kogi governor Yahaya Bello has denied claims of harassment by the defendant’s aides.
Mshelia Bata, a Zenith Bank compliance officer, clarified this during cross-examination, following a claim by EFCC counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, that the witness had been harassed. “From the document, His Excellency’s name did not feature in any description or as a beneficiary,” Bata testified.
Bata also told the court the EFCC misrepresented facts in a report on its website. Justice Emeka Nwite directed Bello’s counsel to investigate the harassment allegation.
On the issue of financial transactions, Bata confirmed the former governor was neither a signatory nor connected to the accounts presented as evidence, referring to documents from pages 24 to 413 in Exhibit 22A.
Meanwhile, the court also heard arguments over the defendant’s request to retrieve his passport for medical travel. The judge adjourned the case to July 3 and 4, with a ruling on the passport application slated for July 21.