₦10bn Kogi fraud trial: EFCC Witness links fund transfers to Kogi Governor’s Aide

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

The trial of the Chief of Staff to Kogi State Governor, Ali Bello, over an alleged ₦10.27 billion fraud resumed on Monday before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, with a prosecution witness linking several fund transfers to the first defendant.

Bello, who is a nephew of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside Dauda Sulaiman on a 16-count amended charge bordering on alleged misappropriation and money laundering to the tune of ₦10,270,556,800.00.

At Monday’s proceedings before the Federal High Court, the 17th prosecution witness, Ahmed Audu Abubakar, an EFCC investigator, told the court that financial records recovered during investigation linked Bello and his co-defendant to multiple fund inflows and outflows connected to the Kogi State Government.

Led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, the witness identified Exhibit F as a document detailing transactions traced in the course of investigation.

Abubakar told the court that an outflow of $91,000 dated February 5, 2021, was paid to “Oga Ali,” which he said referred to the first defendant, Ali Bello. He further identified another outflow of ₦150,000 dated February 6, 2021, paid to “Presido.”

According to the witness, entries also showed that “Rashido” referred to Abdulrasheed, who allegedly transported cash from Lokoja. He testified that ₦150 million was moved from Lokoja to a bureau de change operator.

The witness further pointed to entries dated February 19, 2021, reflecting ₦10 million paid to Ali Bello and ₦500,000 paid to “Daud,” whom he identified as the second defendant, Dauda Sulaiman. He clarified that “Alhaji Ali” also referred to the first defendant.

On investigation findings concerning account number 1000688500 belonging to Dantata and Sawoe Construction Company, Abubakar told the court that transfers of ₦80 million and ₦20 million were payments for Plot 1060, Gwarimpa, Abuja.

He stated that the total ₦100 million paid to the company was reflected in Exhibit F.

“There were 10 entries of ₦10 million each, making a total of ₦100 million. The source is Maigari Murtala, an ally of the first defendant and a contact with the Bureau de Change operator,” he said.

The prosecution subsequently tendered the irrevocable power of attorney for the said property, which was admitted and marked as Exhibit Q.

However, proceedings took a dramatic turn when the prosecution sought to tender the extra-judicial statements of the defendants dated between November and December 2022. Counsel to the defendants objected, arguing that the statements did not comply with Sections 15(4) and 17(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), particularly regarding the voluntariness of audio-visual recording.

After hearing arguments from both sides, Justice Omotosho ordered a trial-within-trial to determine the voluntariness of the statements, with the same witness testifying as the first prosecution witness in the sub-trial.

In his testimony, Abubakar maintained that the statements were voluntarily made.

“In EFCC, we have a standard. No threats, no promises, and statements were taken in the presence of their counsel, with Z.E. Abbas being the most present,” he told the court.

Following the sub-trial proceedings, the court admitted the statements into evidence after there was no further objection from defence counsel.

After cross-examination by counsel to the first and second defendants, Justice Omotosho discharged the witness and adjourned the matter to February 17, 2026, for continuation of trial.