A prosecution witness, Shehu Bello, on Thursday told the Federal High Court in Abuja that Ali Bello, the Chief of Staff to Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo, made several cash payments running into millions of naira for the construction of a property in Maitama.
Shehu testified in the ongoing N80.2 billion money laundering trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
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Ali, the Kogi State Governor’s Chief Staff, and former Governor Yahaya Bello, are relatives. The former governor is an uncle to Ali. Although, the prosecution witness, Shehu Bello, shares a surname with the duo, he is not known to be related to them by blood.
Ali is also standing trial before another judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja in a separate case filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged diversion and laundering of public funds. He allegedly committed the offences during former Governor Bello’s tenure as governor. EFCC said he used the stolen funds to acquire properties in Abuja during Yahaya Bello’s tenure as governor.
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The EFCC is prosecuting Yahaya on 19 counts of money laundering.
The anti-graft agency alleged that the former governor diverted N80.2 billion from Kogi State Government accounts and local government accounts while in office between January 2016 and January 2024.
Yahaya denied the charges. He is also facing related fraud charges involving an alleged N110 billion diversion case before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja.
Thirteen prosecution witnesses had earlier testified in the case before Shehu appeared as the 14th prosecution witness on Wednesday.
Ali’s involvement in Maitama property
On Thursday, Shehu testified on Ali’s involvement construction of a property in Maitama, Abuja, according to a press statement by the EFCC on Thursday.
“My friend Ali Bello approached me if I knew any good construction company that could build a house for him, so I recommended a company, Metro Deck Construction Company Limited. I brought them and he gave them the job to build the house for him,” he said.
Led in evidence by prosecution lawyer Olukayode Enitan, the witness said Ali made payments through bank transfers and cash transactions and “on some occasions he paid them in cash,” he said.
Asked about the currency used, the witness said the cash payments were made in naira.
“The ones that I’m aware of: N9 million, N8.5 million and N5.8 million, these are the only three payments I am aware of in cash,” said the witness.
Shehu also testified about another property at Plot 1058, Cadastral Zone A08, Wuse II, Abuja.
He said Ali asked him to help to look for a property in Wuse II for the development of shops. “ After we spoke, I went out and met some people and spoke with colleagues of mine. We got a plot of land in that location, Wuse II Plot 1058, Cadastral Zone A08, Abuja, Durban Street,” he said.
The witness said the property was bought from SFC Foods Limited for N650 million through bank transfer and the payment was made in bank transfer,” he said.
During Wednesday’s proceedings, the witness further said he had prior business dealings with Ali, whom he described as his friend.
He told the court that another property at No. 1 Ikogosi Spring Close, Maitama, Abuja, was bought for N550 million and paid for in United States dollars.
He also told the court that he helped the same client to buy another property at Lome Street, Wuse Zone 7, Abuja, for N105 million through bank transfer.
He added that he sold his property at Plot 1773, Guzape District, Abuja, to Ali for N68 million after buying it for N63 million.
However, Mr Nwite adjourned the proceedings to Thursday for continuation of the witness’ testimony.
Dispute over witness statement
The witness confirmed making statements to the EFCC during the investigation into th case. He said the statements “carry my signatures on all pages.”
Following the confirmation, Mr Enitan, the prosecution lawyer, applied to tender the witness’ extra-judicial statements in evidence.
However, defence lawyer Adedayo Adedeji, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, objected to the move. Mr Adedeji argued that the prosecution could not tender the extra-judicial statement of its own witness as substantive evidence.
“The extra-judicial statement sought to be tendered this morning by the prosecution as though it constitutes substantive evidence in support of the prosecution’s case is a misconceptio of the law and inadmissible at this stage,” the senior lawyer said.
READ ALSO: Witness in ex-Governor Yahaya Bello’s fraud trial narrates how Maitama property was bought with N550m
He maintained that such statements could only be used by the defence to challenge the credibility of a witness.
Responding, Mr Enitan described the objection as misconceived. The Prosecution lawyer explained that since “the witness has given his evidence on oath, he has owned the statement and I urge your lordship to admit it,”
He also argued that under the Evidence Act, a document becomes admissible once it is relevant and its maker appears as a witness.
After hearing both sides, Judge Emeka Nwite adjourned the matter until 15 and 18 June for ruling on the admissibility of the statements and continuation of trial.
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