Abuja: An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) witness told an Abuja Court that the Kogi State Board of Internal Revenue (KSIRS) paid over ₦1.1 billion in commissions to a tax consultant, Bespoke Business Solutions Limited.
David Ajoma, who made this known while testifying in the ongoing trial of former Kogi governor, Yahaya Bello, and two others, said the amount was paid within eight months in 2019.
Bello is being prosecuted by the EFCC before Justice Maryanne Anenih, alongside Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalam Hudu.
They were alleged to have committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the sum of N110,446,470,089, among others.
Bello and his co-defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The witness presented bank statements for the tax consultant’s account, Bespoke Business Solutions Limited, detailing several large credit entries from the KSIRS in 2019.
Ajoma also said that N952.4 million was withdrawn from his Sterling Bank account by the consultant within the same 8 months, leaving a balance of N212,525,569.
The witness led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, however, said that he does not know the details of the business between Kogi State Internal Revenue Service and the Consultant.
Prior to the Kogi tax board engaging a tax consultant, the witness told the court that the company had over N2 million in its account.
He added that credit inflows into the account rose immediately the tax consultancy business took off.
Under cross-examination by Joseph Daudu SAN, counsel to 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 the customer and that such customers can make withdrawals unhindered, provided they comply with the applicable laws.
The witness admitted that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) regulations permitted individuals to withdraw up to N5 million, while corporate entities were permitted to withdraw up to N10 million per withdrawal.
He said that the tax consultant did not breach CBN regulations regarding the multiple withdrawals; hence, no suspicion report was filed against the tax consultant.
The banker also admitted that Yahaya Bello’s name and those of his co-defendants did not appear in the bank statement as beneficiaries of any of the withdrawals.
The witness also admitted that there is a difference between the Kogi State Government and the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service, adding that the two are separate entities.
Justice Maryann Anenih adjourned the continuation of the trial until Feb. 10.