Kogi N1.1bn Commission Payment: Tax Consultant Complied with CBN Rules – EFCC Witness

A witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. David Ajoda, has informed the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, that the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service (KSIRS) paid a total of ₦1,164,929,569 as commission to a tax consultant within an eight-month period.

Ajoda disclosed that the payments were made between January and August 2019, following the engagement of the tax consultant by the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service.
Testifying on Friday in the ongoing trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, alongside two others over alleged corruption, the witness further stated that the tax consultant withdrew ₦952.4 million from his Sterling Bank account within the same eight months, leaving a balance of ₦212,525,569.
He added that the withdrawals were carried out in multiple tranches by one Phillip Unar.
Ajoda, a Compliance Officer with Sterling Bank, appeared as a prosecution witness for the EFCC in the trial of Yahaya Bello, Umar Shuaib Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu. He was led in evidence by EFCC counsel, Professor Kemi Pinheiro, SAN.
However, the witness admitted that he had no knowledge of the specific details of the tax consultancy arrangement between the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service and the consultant. He also tendered the tax consultant’s account statements, which were admitted as exhibits by the court, noting that the withdrawals followed a consistent pattern.
According to him, before the engagement of the tax consultant by the Kogi tax authority, the account balance stood at just over ₦2 million. He added that inflows into the account increased significantly once the consultancy agreement commenced.
During cross-examination by Joseph Daudu, SAN, counsel to Yahaya Bello and Umar Shuaib Oricha, Ajoda admitted that the name “Kogi State Government” did not appear in the bank transactions. He also acknowledged that bank accounts belong to customers and that withdrawals can be made freely, provided they comply with existing laws.
The witness further confirmed that Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) regulations allow a maximum cash withdrawal of ₦5 million for individuals and ₦10 million for corporate entities per transaction. He stated that the tax consultant’s withdrawals did not violate CBN regulations, and as such, no suspicious transaction report was filed against the account.
Ajoda also admitted that neither Yahaya Bello nor his co-defendants were listed as beneficiaries of any of the withdrawals reflected in the bank statements. He further clarified that Kogi State Government and the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service are distinct entities.
Meanwhile, Justice Maryann Anenih has adjourned further hearing in the matter to February 10.