The fate of Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, will be decided today, Friday 25th April, after witnesses acount caused a row yesterday in the courtroom.
The former governor of Kogi State, was back on trial at the Federal High Court on Thursday when a prosecution witness described how the former governor’s assistant received huge cash deposits that were changed into US dollars.
Jamilu Abdullahi, a Bureau de Change operator and Prosecution Witness 12, testified before Justice Emeka Nwite that an individual named Abba Adaudu made many cash deposits into the account of E-Traders International Limited.
Abdullahi affirmed that the deposits took place on multiple dates, including March 10 and 11, 2022, under the direction of prosecution attorney Kemi Pinheiro.
On the other hand, he explained why the transaction records showed different depositor names.
The witness maintained that all transactions were done directly with Adaudu and identified him as the person in charge of the deposits made on October 8 and 11, 2021.
Abdullahi also stated in his testimony that he gave Adaudu the money after converting the naira amounts into dollars.
Regarding transactions involving his firm, Kunfayakun Global Limited, the witness stated that on December 15 and 17, 2021, respectively, he received ₦100 million and ₦400 million from Keyless Nature Limited, which he claimed belonged to Adaudu. He said that the agreed-upon amounts were converted and delivered in accordance with the funds’ intended use for dollar transactions.
Additionally, he informed the court that he received ₦325 million via RTGS on February 21, 2022, and ₦600 million in six tranches into the account of Ejadams Essence Limited, purportedly connected to Adaudu, on February 18, 2022.
The witness also stated that the dollar handovers usually took place in Adaudu’s office in Area 8, Abuja, or at his own office.
Defense attorney J. B. Daudu objected, claiming that the prosecution was trying to contradict its own witness without labelling him hostile, and the proceedings were momentarily halted.
“If the witness wants to contradict himself, he should be declared a hostile witness,” Daudu submitted.
Pinheiro responded by arguing that the witness was consistent and blaming any apparent inconsistencies on the difficulty of remembering transactions that took place a number of years earlier.
Justice Nwite postponed the case to April 24, 2026, to rule on the objection and continue the trial after hearing arguments from both sides.
Why is Yahaya Bello in court?
Recall that ENigeria Newspaper reported that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has charged former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello with 19 counts of money laundering and misappropriation of ₦80.2 billion. Bello escaped arrest in April and September of 2024, allegedly with the help of Governor Usman Ododo, who used his immunity as a serving governor. Since then, Bello has filed an appeal with the Supreme Court in an attempt to get an arrest warrant revoked.
However, Yahaya Bello was finally arrested on the 16th of November, 2024 reportedly with the help of Gov. Usman Ododo who was said to have brought him to Abuja that day.
