The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, called its first witness to testify in the 16-count money laundering charge it preferred against the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.
The witness, Fabian Nwaora, a real estate businessman, mounted the box to give his evidence-in-chief in the matter after Justice Maryann Anenih overruled an objection the former governor and his co-defendants raised against the commencement of their trial.
The defendants had through their respective lawyers, contended that the EFCC failed to furnish them with some of the proof of evidence that would be relied on in their prosecution.
However, Justice Anenih declined to adjourn the case, noting that there was no formal application from the defendants to support their objection.
Meanwhile, in his testimony, the witness, who is the owner of EFAB property, narrated to the court, how his company, in 2020, sold a property situated at No 1 Ikobosi Street, Maitama Abuja, to one Shehu Bello for the sum of N550 million.
According to the witness, sometime in 2023, Bello returned all the documents relating to the property and informed his company that the EFCC was being investigated by the EFCC.
Nwaora told the court that the EFCC later summoned him, after which he was made to refund the money to an account that was provided by the anti-graft agency.
Justice Anenih subsequently adjourned further hearing on the matter till April 3.
Bello, who piloted the affairs of Kogi state from 2016 to 2024, is facing trial over his alleged complicity in a N110 billion fraud.
He is facing trial alongside two officials of the Kogi State Government – Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu.
The charge against the defendants, marked: CR/7781, borders on conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and possession of unlawfully obtained property.
EFCC alleged that the former governor misused state funds to acquire property including No. 35 Danube Street, Maitama District, Abuja (N950 million), No. 1160 Cadastral Zone C03, Gwarimpa II District, Abuja (N100 million), and No. 2 Justice Chukwudifu Oputa Street, Asokoro, Abuja (N920 million).
Other properties the defendants allegedly acquired with funds stolen from the Kogi state treasury, included Block D Manzini Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N170 million), Hotel Apartment Community: Burj Khalifa, Dubai (Five Million, Six Hundred and Ninety-Eight Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty-Eight Dirhams), Block 18, Gwelo Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N60 million), and No. 9 Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N310.4 million).
Likewise, the defendants were accused of transferring $570,330 and $556,265 to TD Bank, USA, and possessing unlawfully obtained property, including N677.8 million from Bespoque Business Solution Limited.
The court, on December 10, 2024, remanded the former governor in Kuje prison, though it granted bail to his co-defendants.
He was later admitted to bail in the sum of N500 million with three sureties in like sum.
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