Court Adjourns Yahaya Bello’s Fraud Trial to May 8

he Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled May 8 and 9 to determine the admissibility of a judgment from the FCT High Court, which former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello seeks to present in his defense in an ongoing money laundering case…….READ MORE

Presiding over the case, Justice Emeka Nwite postponed proceedings after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s lead counsel, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), opposed the submission of the document by Bello’s lawyer, Joseph Daudu (SAN), before cross-examining the next witness.

The disputed document relates to a judgment in suit number FCT/HC/CV/2574/2023 involving Ali Bello and the Incorporated Trustees of the American International School Abuja (AISA) regarding school fee payments and refunds.

During the hearing, the EFCC had presented its third prosecution witness (PW-3), Nicholas Ohehomon, an auditor at AISA. After Pinheiro concluded his questioning, Daudu sought to introduce the judgment and additional recertification receipts as evidence before proceeding with cross-examination.

Pinheiro objected, arguing that since the prosecution had not closed its case, the defense could not introduce documents at this stage, citing Section 232 of the Evidence Act. In response, Daudu countered that the admissibility of documents in criminal and civil cases is strictly based on their relevance, as outlined in Sections 4, 5, and 6 of the Evidence Act, 2011.

He maintained that the judgment involved AISA, and since the witness was the school’s sole representative in the case, the document was relevant. Daudu urged the court to dismiss the EFCC’s objection, arguing that Pinheiro’s personal discomfort with the document should not affect its admissibility.

Pinheiro, however, insisted that the defense had not demonstrated how the document fell under Section 232 and urged the court to reject it.

After hearing arguments from both sides, Justice Nwite adjourned the trial to May 8 and 9 for a ruling on the document’s admissibility and the continuation of proceedings.

Earlier in the hearing, the prosecution led the AISA auditor in identifying various financial exhibits, including a bank telex and payment transfers allegedly made by Forza Oil and Gas and Whales Oil and Gas for the former governor’s children.