Alleged N80.2bn Fraud: Court Adjourns Ex-Gov Bello’s Trial to May 8
Alhaji Yahaya Bello’s alleged N80.2 billion fraud case just got another twist! The Federal High Court in Abuja has postponed further hearings to May 8, and let me tell you, it’s getting intense.
So, here’s the gist: The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is on Bello’s case, accusing him of money laundering and shady transactions. They say he used proxies to wire money into the American International School’s account to prepay his four kids’ school fees and even covered tuition for a fifth child who hasn’t been born yet. Wild, right?
The EFCC is arguing that the cash came straight out of the Kogi State Government’s purse. To make matters even spicier, they claim Bello used five people to buy 13 luxury properties in Abuja and Dubai with the allegedly stolen funds. Oh, and they also say he secretly moved over $700,000 into a U.S. bank account.
At the latest hearing, Bello’s defense team, led by senior lawyer Joseph Daudu (SAN), pulled out a judgment from an Abuja High Court that supposedly dismissed the allegations. But EFCC’s lawyer, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), was having none of it! He argued that it was way too soon in the trial for Bello’s team to introduce such a document. According to him, under the Evidence Act, only previous written statements from a witness can be brought in at this stage.
His argument? “This isn’t an election petition; you can’t just throw in documents while the prosecution is still making its case.” Translation: Wait your turn!
On the other hand, Daudu fired back, insisting that the document was 100% relevant. He argued that in both civil and criminal cases, if something is relevant, it should be allowed. The judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, decided to take some time to think things over and set May 8 as the date for his ruling.
Meanwhile, the court heard from a key witness, an internal auditor from the American International School, Abuja. He confirmed that various companies, including Forza Oil and Gas, Aleshua Solutions Services, and Unnati General Trading LLC, paid Bello’s children. The amounts ranged from $11,000 to a jaw-dropping $100,000.
When pressed, the witness admitted that neither Yahaya Bello nor his nephew, Ali Bello, appeared to be the sender of any funds. However, receipts were issued in the names of the ex-governor’s children, not the actual senders of the money. Suspicious much?
Bello, who ran Kogi State from 2016 to 2024, has pleaded not guilty to all charges. He’s currently out on bail, but with the EFCC piling on accusations, including breach of public trust and money laundering, this legal battle is far from over.
The next hearing on May 8 promises more fireworks.
