Kogiflame
The immediate past governor of Kogi, Yahaya Bello on Friday, asked Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to release his travel document to him to enable him travel out of the country for medical attention.
Bello is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged money laundering to the tune of N80.2 billion.
At the proceedings on Friday, Joseph Daudu, SAN, counsel to Yahaya Bello informed the court about the application for the retrieval of the Defendant’s travel documents to enable him to travel abroad for treatment.
But, the prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN said, they had filed a counter-affidavit to the application, arguing that the application was technically incompetent.
Pinherio said the same application which was also filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), adding that, is an abuse of the Court process.
Meanwhile, Daudu said, the prosecution was the one guilty of abuse of the Court process. “We were served with the counter affidavit yesterday and we, overnight, filed a further affidavit to the complainant’s counter affidavit with two exhibits as well.
“My lord, the substance of the application is for the release of his international passport in line with the conditions for the bail that if he needs, he has to apply to court.
“He has medical needs to attend to during the period of the vacation. After eight years of not traveling, he needs to attend to certain aspects of his health,” Daudu told the court.
After listening to submissions of parties on Bello’s request to travel abroad for medical attention, the trial Judge fixed July 21 for ruling on the application.
Meanwhile, the fourth prosecution witness (PW4), Mshelia Arhyel Bata, under cross-examination,
refuted claims by the EFCC’s lawyer that he was harassed by security aides of the former governor.
The PW4, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank, said, at the conclusion of cross-examination on Friday, that he felt the need to make the clarification on the allegation, raised by counsel to the EFCC, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, at the beginning of the day’s proceedings.
“My Lord, I wish to clarify the matter raised earlier before the commencement of proceedings. I was not harassed by any of the security details attached to the defendant. I was not harassed at all, and I felt the need to clarify this, my lord,” he stated.
The Defendant’s Counsel, Joseph Daudu, SAN, also called the attention of the Judge to a story on the EFCC’s website, alleging that the Commission’s witness was harassed and accused the EFCC of misrepresenting the facts of the previous day’s court proceedings.
Responding, Pinheiro said, he would call the attention of the EFCC office to the matter.
The witness, during cross-examination by the Defendant’s Counsel, confirmed that the former governor was neither a signatory to nor connected with any of the accounts presented as evidence.
He admitted that going through Exhibit 22A, from pages 24 to 413, Yahaya Bello was not also listed on any of the documents as a beneficiary of any transaction.
“I am here to speak on the documents before me. From the document, His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello’s name did not feature in any description or as beneficiary in any transaction in the documents before me,” he confirmed.
The compliance officer had earlier mentioned the signatories on the accounts managed for the Kogi State Government House Administration and also confirmed letters that introduced those who replaced some key officials along the line.
The witness had earlier explained that he supervises a cluster of 13 branches of Zenith Bank within Abuja and admitted that his clusters did not extend beyond the Federal Capital Territory.
On the issue of harassment, the EFCC’s lawyer had raised an observation that the witness was harassed by one of the security details attached to the defendant.
The Defendant’s counsel doubted the claim, noting that he had always known his client to be a man of peace and however, assured the court that he would investigate the allegation and report back accordingly.
The judge thereafter urged the defendant’s counsel to thoroughly investigate the matter.
However, at the close of cross-examination, the prosecution witness sought the court’s permission to address the allegation made earlier.
The defendant’s counsel commended the witness for his honesty and integrity in coming forward to clarify the situation.
The Judge adjourned till July 3 and 4 for continuation of trial and July 21 for ruling on Yahaya Bello’s application to travel.
Tribune Online
