Fresh details have surfaced at the Federal High Court in Abuja as the trial of former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, continues over an alleged ₦80.2 billion money laundering case.
During Thursday’s proceedings, a prosecution witness, Shehu Bello, gave testimony that shed new light on high-value property transactions and cash payments allegedly linked to the case.
According to the witness, Ali Bello was involved in multiple payments for the construction of a property in Maitama, Abuja. He told the court that the project involved both bank transfers and cash transactions, with specific cash payments he was aware of amounting to ₦9 million, ₦8.5 million, and ₦5.8 million.
The testimony also extended to another major property deal in Wuse II, Abuja. The witness revealed that a plot of land intended for commercial development was acquired for ₦650 million through a bank transfer.
These disclosures form part of the evidence being presented by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in its case against the former governor, who is accused of orchestrating large-scale financial misconduct.
However, beyond the financial details, the courtroom also witnessed a heated legal exchange.
The defence team challenged the admissibility of certain extra judicial statements made by the witness, arguing that such documents should not be treated as substantive evidence at this stage of the trial. They maintained that the statements are primarily meant to test the credibility of a witness, not to prove the prosecution’s case.
On the other hand, the prosecution insisted that the statements are valid, especially since the witness had already acknowledged and adopted them under oath.
With both sides firmly holding their ground, the court is now expected to rule on whether the disputed statements will be admitted as evidence.
As the case unfolds, attention remains fixed on the proceedings, not just for the scale of the alleged financial transactions, but for what it could mean for accountability in Nigeria’s political and financial system.