A witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr David Ajoda, has told the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja that the Kogi State Board of Internal Revenue (KSIRS) paid a sum of N1,164,929,569 as commission to a tax consultant within eight months.
He revealed that the sum was paid between January and August 2019 when Kogi State Internal Revenue Service (KSIRS) engaged the tax consultant.
The witness, who testified on Friday at the ongoing trial of former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, and two others on alleged corruption, also revealed that a sum of N952.4 million was withdrawn by the tax consultant from his account with Sterling Bank within the same eight months, leaving a balance of N212,525,569 in the account.
The multiple withdrawals were said to have been carried out by one Phillip Unar.
Ajoda, a compliance officer with Sterling Bank, testified for the EFCC in the prosecution of Yahaya Bello, Umar Shuaib Oricha, and Abdulsalami Hudu on the corruption charges.
The witness, who was led in evidence by EFCC lawyer Professor Kemi Pinheiro SAN, however admitted not knowing the details of the tax consultancy business between Kogi State Internal Revenue Service and the consultant.
Ajoda, who tendered account details of the tax consultant and had them admitted by the court, said that withdrawals from the account of the tax consultant followed the same pattern.
Prior to the engagement of the tax consultant by the Kogi tax board, the witness told Justice Maryann Anenih that the tax consultant had over N2 million in the account, adding that credit inflows into the account rose immediately the tax consultancy business took off.
Under cross-examination by Joseph Daudu SAN, counsel to Yahaya Bello and Umar Shuaib Oricha, the witness admitted that the name “Kogi State Government” did not feature in the bank transactions.
He also admitted that the bank account belongs to a customer and that such customers can make withdrawals unhindered, as long as such withdrawals are within the stipulated laws.
The witness admitted that Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) regulations permitted N5 million maximum withdrawal for individuals, while corporate entities have a maximum of N10 million per withdrawal.
He said that the tax consultant did not breach CBN regulations in the multiple withdrawals; hence, no report of suspicion was made against the tax consultant.
The banker also admitted that Yahaya Bello’s name and those of his co-defendants did not feature in the bank statement as beneficiaries of any of the withdrawals.
He also admitted that there is a difference between Kogi State Government and Kogi State Internal Revenue Service, adding that the two are separate entities.
Meanwhile, Justice Maryann Anenih has shifted further hearing to February 10.
