By A prosecution witness in the ongoing ₦110.4 billion fraud trial involving former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, on Friday, May 8, told the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, how a property in the Maitama area of the nation’s capital was allegedly acquired.
According to a statement from the official EFCC website, he told the court that the property was worth the equivalent of ₦950 million paid in United States dollars.
The witness, Ramalan Abdullahi, a legal practitioner with the Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA, testified before Justice Maryanne Anineh as the fifteenth prosecution witness in the case instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission against Yahaya Bello alongside Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu on a 16-count charge bordering on alleged criminal breach of trust and money laundering to the tune of ₦110.4 billion.
Led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, Abdullahi told the court that he became involved in the property transaction sometime in January 2022 after a friend contacted him to conduct due diligence on the property located at No. 35 Danube Street, Maitama, Abuja.
“I picked a call from my friend who informed me that some agents introduced him to this property to sell and that I can conduct due diligence on it,” the witness said.
Speaking on the transaction, Abdullahi told the court that he interfaced with Ali Bello through one Shehu Bello and that the payment for the property was made in dollars equivalent to ₦950 million.
The witness further disclosed that he prepared the title documents for the transaction and handed them over to Ali Bello. According to him, White Tree Nigeria Limited was used as the assignee in the transaction.
“I was given a name White Tree Nigerian Limited as the assignee. I prepared the deed of assignment between Palchi Ventures Nigeria Plc and White Tree Nigeria Limited as the assignee for the deed of assignment. And the power of attorney was given to the same party,” Abdullahi stated.
Under cross-examination by counsel to the first and second defendants, Abdullahi Yahaya, SAN, the witness confirmed that he had previously testified before the Federal High Court and admitted that he received instructions concerning the transaction from Shehu Bello.
“Yes. I received the instruction from Shehu Bello,” he said.
During further cross-examination by counsel to the third defendant, Z. E. Abbas, the witness stated that he never met Abdulsalami Hudu.
Yahaya Bello’s EFCC Trials: Charges and Court Battles Explained.
Former Kogi State Governor (2016-2024), Yahaya Bello, is facing multiple corruption charges filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), including allegations of money laundering, criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, and misappropriation of public funds running into over ₦190 billion, according to reports from BBC Pidgin.
One of the cases involves a 16-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and conspiracy involving ₦110.4 billion before Justice Maryanne Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama. The EFCC alleged that Bello, alongside Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, diverted funds from the Kogi State treasury to acquire properties in Abuja and abroad, including an apartment in the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
Bello is also facing a 19-count money laundering charge involving about ₦80.2 billion before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja. In the case, the EFCC accused Yahaya Bello, Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman, and Abdulsalam Hudu of conspiring to convert over ₦80 billion in public funds for personal use. Another related case is also before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court Abuja.
The EFCC’s prosecution against Bello began after the agency amended earlier corruption charges in February 2024, shortly after he left office as governor. The anti-graft agency had initially filed charges in 2022 against some of Bello’s associates, including his nephew, Ali Bello, before later naming the former governor as an accomplice in the alleged fraud.
At the early stage of the trial, Yahaya Bello repeatedly avoided arrest and questioning by the EFCC. In April 2024, EFCC operatives stormed his residence in Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, after obtaining an arrest warrant, but failed to arrest him after the incumbent Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo, reportedly escorted him away in his vehicle.
Yahaya Bello’s court trials started on November 27, 2024, and since then, it has been from one trial date to the present moment. EFCC has come forward with different prosecution witnesses who have detailed their statements before the law courts.
