The trial of Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello‘s cousin, Ali Bello, and three others on a charge of N3 billion fraud before Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has been adjourned until June 17 and 18 for further proceedings.
On April 19, Foxiz Nigeria reported that the trial of the suspects would continue on May 30 and 31, as scheduled by the court. In February, it was also reported that the court granted bail to Ali Bello and three other defendants for a sum of N500 million each as part of an alleged 3 billion fraud case. Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, is pursuing 18 cases bordering on money laundering and embezzlement amounting to about 3 billion Naira against Bello, a nephew of Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.
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Abba Adauda, Yakubu Siyaka Adabenege, Iyada Sadat, and Kogi’s First Lady, Rashida Bello, are the other defendants in the case. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is indicting them in suit No. ABJ/CR/573/2022.
Mr. Nicholas Oyemomoni from the American International School, Abuja, was called by the prosecution team led by Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN as their first witness when the case came to court in April. However, Oyemomoni could not finish his testimony because the defence team led by Mr. Abubakar Aliyu of SAN objected to documents that the EFCC asked for in evidence through him. The EFCC, in a statement issued by its Head of Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, stated that the defence had asked the court to allow him to raise the objection in his final written statement in order to provisionally admit the documents.
On Tuesday, Bello’s counsel informed the court they had filed an adjournment letter on May 26, 2023, and served the EFCC on the same day. The defendants had notified the court in the letter that A was the issue. Aliyu (SAN) will appear at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal while Raji (SAN) recovers from illness. EFCC’s counsel, R. Oyedepo (SAN), agreed to the adjournment. The trial is scheduled to resume on June 17–18, 2023.
