The Federal High Court in Abuja has postponed the hearing of the money laundering case against former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, to March 6 and 7, 2025.
The case, brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, resumed on Monday with testimony from two prosecution witnesses.
One of the witnesses, Segun Adeleke, who serves as the General Manager of Efab Properties Limited, testified about properties in Maitama and Gwarinpa. According to him, Bello’s name did not appear on any transaction documents, and he had never personally met the former governor.
“In 2020, while in the office, my chairman, Chief Dr Fabian Nwora, introduced me to a young man named Shehu Bello, who was interested in purchasing a property,” Adeleke told the court.
He explained that a deal was reached for a property at Number 1, Ikogosi Road, Maitama, for ₦550 million. “Shehu came with U.S. dollars, and we confirmed the exchange rate from a Bureau de Change before the payment was completed,” Adeleke stated.
He further revealed that another property in Gwarinpa was bought for ₦70 million by an individual named Nuhu Mohammed. The payment, he said, was made in a single transaction via bank transfer.
When cross-examined by Bello’s lawyer, Joseph Daudu, Adeleke confirmed that Shehu Bello handled the transaction but did not sign the documents in his presence.
Asked whether he had ever seen the defendant during the dealings, Adeleke replied, “Not at any time in the course of this transaction.” He also reiterated that Bello’s name was not found on any of the documents submitted to the EFCC.
The second witness, Williams Abimbola, a compliance officer with United Bank for Africa (UBA), testified under subpoena. He presented account statements and documents, including records for the Kogi State Government House account from January 2016 to January 2024.
Other documents submitted included account statements for Macelina Njoku from January to December 2022 and for the American International School, Abuja, covering September 2020.
EFCC’s lead counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, confirmed that the documents were admitted as evidence without objection.
Following the testimonies, the court adjourned the case until March 6 and 7, 2025, for further proceedings.
