The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court has postponed the trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, and two others in the ongoing money laundering case.
The matter has been rescheduled to continue on October 8 and 9, as well as November 12 and 13.
Justice Maryanne Anenih adjourned the proceedings after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) presented multiple documents through its third witness in an effort to support the allegations against Mr Bello and his co-defendants, Umar Shuaib Oricha and Abdulsalam Hudu.
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During Wednesday’s hearing, Segun Adeleke, who appeared as the second prosecution witness (PW2), told the court that he had no personal dealings with any of the defendants concerning the property under investigation.
Responding to questions from defence lawyers, Mr Adeleke confirmed that none of the defendants’ names appeared in any transaction records linked to the property.
Mr Adeleke, a manager at Efab Property Limited, added that he was meeting Mr Bello for the first time in court.
“This is the first time I am seeing His Excellency (Yahaya Bello) in person. I have only seen him before on television and in newspapers, but never in relation to this transaction,” he said.
Earlier, the first prosecution witness (PW1), Fabian Nwora, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Efab Property Limited, also testified that none of the defendants had made payments into his company’s account.
Nwora, who acknowledged knowing Mr Bello personally, insisted the former governor’s name did not appear in the disputed property transaction.
Nwora explained that although he began negotiations for the property, it was his colleague, Mr Adeleke, who later concluded the deal.
At a previous hearing, Nwora told the court he had been invited to the EFCC on February 8, 2023, regarding a transaction between Shehu Bello and Efab Property for a property located at No. 1 Ikogosi Street, Maitama.
According to him, Shehu Bello was the individual who initiated the purchase.
While being led in evidence by EFCC counsel Kemi Pinheiro, MrAdeleke confirmed that in 2020, Nwora assigned him to handle the property transaction after Shehu Bello expressed interest.
Mr Adeleke said the deal was finalised and the sum of N500 million was paid.
When asked what happened subsequently, Mr Adeleke said Shehu Bello later returned to inform Nwora that he no longer wished to continue with the purchase due to the EFCC’s investigation.
“My chairman said he would get back to him after consulting our Company Secretary,” Mr Adeleke recalled.
The prosecution further inquired about documents issued to one Nuhu Muhammed concerning a separate property in Gwarinpa.
Mr Adeleke confirmed that the documents were provided to Nuhu after he bought a unit in the estate.
Defence counsel Joseph Daudu, raised objections, arguing that there was no clear link between the documents the prosecution sought to tender and the testimony already provided by the witness.
However, the judge overruled the objection.
Under cross-examination, Mr Adeleke admitted that he was brought into the Gwarinpa transaction after it had already begun and was not involved from the outset.
Daudu challenged him on discrepancies between his current evidence and his previous testimony before Justice Emeka Nwite at the Federal High Court, where Adeleke had earlier claimed the payment for the property was made in a single transfer.
In response, Mr Adeleke maintained that the payment was actually made in two instalments and that he had receipts to support this, though he conceded that he did not personally know Nuhu Muhammed.
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Another witness, Williams Abimbola, appeared under subpoena and presented the Kogi State Government House account statement along with a Certificate of Identification.
The defence team indicated they would fully address the document at a later stage of the trial.
