A prosecution witness on Monday, March 9th, told the federal high court in Abuja how an associate of former Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello, purchased a property worth ₦650 million in the Wuse II area of Abuja via bureau de change operators.
The testimony was given during the ongoing trial of Bello, who is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 19-count charge involving money laundering amounting to ₦80.24 billion.
The witness, James Bem Igbakymeh, a lawyer and the 11th prosecution witness, told Justice Emeka Nwite that in October 2021, his client instructed him to sell a property located at plot 1058, Cadastral zone A08, Wuse II, Abuja.
He told the court that after placing a banner on the property to attract prospective buyers, a man identified as Shehu Bello contacted him, visited his office, and negotiated a purchase price of ₦650 million.
Igbakymeh disclosed that the agreed sum was subsequently paid into three accounts belonging to SFC Foods Limited in Polaris Bank, JIT Agric Limited in Polaris Bank, and SFC Foods Limited in Heritage Bank.
He further explained that the payments were processed through several bureau de change operators before the property documents were eventually handed over to the buyer.
He also told the court that officials of the EFCC later invited him in connection with their investigation into the transaction.
According to him, he honoured the invitation, wrote a statement, and submitted relevant documents relating to the property sale to the commission.
During the proceedings, the prosecution presented the offer letter and deed of assignment relating to the transaction, which the witness identified.
He confirmed that the offer letter was prepared by him, while the deed of assignment contained the signatures of both himself and his client.
Justice Nwite admitted the documents in evidence as exhibits after the defence reserved its objections until the final written address.
When asked to identify the assignee listed in the deed of assignment, the witness told the court that the name indicated was Ali Bello.
However, he clarified that Ali was not the same person as Shehu, explaining that both men had attended meetings together during the negotiation process.
Under cross-examination, the witness also told the court that he did not personally prepare the deed of assignment, noting that it was brought to him by the buyers.
After his testimony, the witness was discharged.
The prosecution then called its 12th witness, Jamilu Abdullahi, a bureau de change operator and owner of three companies, Kunfayakun Global Limited, E-Traders International Limited, and De-Remita International Limited.
Abdullahi told the court that he met a man named Abba Adaudu in 2021 at Zenith Bank, Apo, Abuja, after which Adaudu began regularly sending funds to him for foreign exchange transactions.
Deposits were made in tranches of ₦10 million each, which Abdullahi converted to dollars and handed directly to Adaudu.
When his attention was drawn to transactions of 29 and 30 December 2021, showing deposits totalling ₦60 million made at Access Bank in Lokoja, the witness distanced himself from the transactions.
“My name was used as the narration, but I was not the one who paid the money; it was Abba Adaudu,” he said.
He also confirmed that inflows into his accounts, sometimes from companies including Keyless Nature Limited and Ejadams Essence Limited, ran into hundreds of millions of naira, and that he occasionally facilitated international transfers, including school fees payments to the American International School.
The witness later informed the court he was unable to continue due to exhaustion from fasting, and his testimony was stood down to a future date.
The lead prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, moved a motion seeking to set aside an earlier court order permitting the defendant to travel abroad, citing fresh developments and security concerns.
“We are just being careful and concerned that the defendant should remain in Nigeria to face his trial to prevent the possibility of extradition and incarceration in another country,” Pinheiro said.
Defence counsel J.B. Daudu, opposed the application, arguing that Bello had been granted bail with freedom of movement and remained presumed innocent.
He further warned that an existing International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) red notice could place the defendant at risk if allowed to travel without it being first removed.
Justice Nwite reserved a decision on the application and adjourned the matter to April 22, 23, and 24, and May 6th and 7th, for continuation of the trial.
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