The Federal High Court in Abuja has set new dates for the money laundering trial involving former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, now scheduled for March 6 and 7, 2025.
The legal proceedings continued on Monday with testimonies from two witnesses for the prosecution, providing critical insights into the case filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The first witness, Segun Adeleke, the General Manager of Efab Properties Limited, provided testimony concerning properties located in Maitama and Gwarinpa. Adeleke stated that Bello’s name was absent from any relevant documents, claiming he had never personally met the ex-governor. He recounted an interaction involving a property transaction linked to a young man named Shehu Bello, discussing a ₦550 million agreement for a Maitama property. Adeleke indicated that the payment was made in U.S. dollars, which required verification of the exchange rate.
Adeleke noted that he interacted with Shehu Bello three times during the deal—during the introduction, the payment, and when the legal documents were finalized. However, he admitted he did not know which bank facilitated the ₦550 million payment and could not recall the dollar equivalent.
As for another property in Gwarinpa, Adeleke testified that it was purchased by Nuhu Mohammed for ₦70 million, paid through a bank transfer. Defense counsel Joseph Daudu questioned Adeleke about his direct interactions with Shehu Bello, to which Adeleke confirmed he did not see the defendant at any point during the transactions.
The second prosecution witness, Williams Abimbola, a compliance officer at United Bank for Africa, testified under subpoena. He presented various documents, including account statements for the Kogi State Government House from January 2016 to January 2024, as well as records for other transactions.
All documents were accepted as evidence without any objections, and the court adjourned the proceedings to March 2025 for continued hearings.
