The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Monday, presented its first witness against a former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, in the alleged N80.2bn fraud trial before a Federal High Court in Abuja.
The EFCC filed a 19-count charge against Bello, bordering on criminal breach of trust and money laundering to the tune of N80.2bn contrary to Section 18(a) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended).
The witness, Segun Joseph Adeleke, General Manager of EFAB Properties Limited, appeared before the trial judge, Justice Emeka Nwite on Monday.
Adeleke, while being cross-examined by counsel to the EFCC, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, told the court that he was into real estate and development of turnkey projects in places like Maitama, Asokoro, Wuse, and some other locations in Abuja.
He told the court that, sometime in 2020, while he was in his office, his Chairman, Chief Dr. Fabian Nwora, sent for him and introduced him to a young man by the name Shehu Bello on a particular property.
“We had a discussion concerning the purchase of the property in question. And he told me that the young man would be coming back to make payment for the property at an agreed price of N550 million,” he said.
When asked if he had seen Shehu Bello since that day, he said, “I saw him three times. The first time was for introduction, the second time for payment and the third time was when he brought a legal document for the execution of the EFAB property.”
The EFCC lawyer then mentioned another property at 5th Avenue in Gwarinpa and told the witness to tell the court what he knew about it.
Responding, the witness said the property was purchased by one Nuhu Mohammed for N70 million and was paid for through a bank transfer.
He was asked if he remembered which bank the money came from, but he said no.
The EFCC witness explained that upon conclusion of transactions, Sheu Bello made payment for the property and receipt and letter of allocation were delivered to him.
He, however, said that the said Shehu Bello changed the transactions when he came back for a refund of his money upon discovery that the house was under EFCC investigation.
Under cross examination by Joseph Bodunde Daudu, SAN, lead counsel to Yahaya Bello, the witness admitted having transactions with Shehu Bello three times.
He said that throughout the transactions, he did not see Yahaya Bello while his name did not feature in any of the documents on the transactions, including the title deed.
The witness said that he didn’t see Shehu Bello who purchased the property in court.
Asked if the his actions were purely based on the instructions of his chairman. He responded, “Yes.”
The defence counsel further asked whether it was correct to say that he did not initiate any discussion with Shehu Bello on his own, to which he also answered in the affirmative.
On the documents signed for the transactions, the Defendant’s Counsel asked the witness if he could confirm that Shehu Bello signed his own part in his presence.
“He did not, my Lord,” he answered.
Daudu, SAN, also asked: “Throughout this transaction, did you set eye on the defendant (Yahaya Bello)?”
“Not at anytime in the course of this transaction,” the witness responded.
He was also asked if the name of the defendant appeared anywhere on the documents he said were with the EFCC.
He, again, answered, “no!”
The Prosecution then told the court that they had another witness to call on subpoena.
The Defendant’s Counsel objected that they were being taken by surprise but added that he had no intention of stalling the trial.
The second witness identified herself as Williams Abimbola, a compliance officer with the United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA).
She had the subpoena with her, which the lawyer sought to tender as evidence.
The Defendant’s counsel had no objection and it was marked “Exhibit 1”.
The witness read out the documents the subpoena asked for to include the statement of account of Kogi State Government House, from January 1, 2016 to January 31, 2024.
The statements of account of Maselina Njoku, from January 1 to December 31, 2022, were also admitted in evidence, including the account opening packages of American International School and statements of accounts, from September 1 to September 30, 2020.
Meanwhile, the case has been adjourned to March 6 and 7 for continuation of trial.
