“The Transactions Under Investigation Passed Through His Accounts” — Bank Officials Testify In Alleged $385,000, ₦165.4m Case Against Ex-NRC MD
Two bank officials have testified before the Lagos State Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja in the ongoing trial of former Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Fidet Okhiria, over allegations involving $385,000 and ₦165.4 million belonging to the corporation.
Okhiria is standing trial before Justice Rahman Oshodi on a seven-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering, abuse of office and unlawful enrichment by a public official.
At Thursday’s proceedings, officials of Access Bank and Zenith Bank appeared as prosecution witnesses for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and gave evidence on financial records obtained by the anti-graft agency during its investigation.
Led in evidence by EFCC prosecuting counsel, Abba Muhammed, SAN, the first prosecution witness, Abasiama Idiong, a compliance officer with Access Bank, told the court that the bank received requests from the EFCC between October 2025 and January 2026 seeking account statements and account-opening documents relating to some customers, including Okhiria and one Ndubusi Vincent.
Idiong said he retrieved the requested records from the relevant branches, printed them and forwarded them to his superiors for approval before they were sent to the EFCC.
The witness also identified the account numbers, names of the account holders and authorised signatories contained in the documents.
Certified account statements, a certificate of identification and correspondence exchanged between Access Bank and the EFCC were subsequently tendered through the witness and admitted by the court as exhibits.
The second prosecution witness, Clement Mgbolu, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank, also testified about requests made by the EFCC for banking records connected with its investigation.
Mgbolu told the court that Zenith Bank received requests from the Commission in June, September and October 2025 for customers’ account statements and account-opening documentation.
He said he generated and verified the records before preparing a certificate of compliance and forwarding letter.
According to him, the documents were subsequently approved by his superiors and transmitted to the EFCC.
During cross-examination by defence counsel Adebowale Kamoru, Idiong maintained that the account numbers being investigated belonged to the defendant and that the transactions under examination were conducted through the accounts.
Mgbolu also confirmed that the narrations relating to the transactions being examined by the prosecution appeared in the relevant bank statements.
The proceedings centred on banking records obtained during the EFCC investigation as the prosecution continued presenting evidence in support of the charges against the former NRC Managing Director.
Justice Oshodi adjourned the case until October 30 and November 6, 2026, for continuation of trial.
Post Title: “The Transactions Under Investigation Passed Through His Accounts” — Bank Officials Testify In Alleged $385,000, ₦165.4m Case Against Ex-NRC MD By Papers Nigeria.
