A Federal High Court in Abuja has postponed its decision on whether to admit a judgment from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court as evidence in the ongoing trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, over alleged fraud totaling ₦80.2 billion. The ruling is now set for May 8.
The case took a turn when the defence, led by Joseph Daudu (SAN), sought to introduce a document linked to a legal dispute involving Ali Bello and the Incorporated Trustees of the American International School, Abuja (AISA). The document reportedly concerns the payment of school fees and was presented during the cross-examination of the third prosecution witness, Nicholas Ojehomon, an auditor at AISA.
During his testimony, Ojehomon stated that Ali Bello had offered to cover the tuition fees of Yahaya Bello’s children at the school, an arrangement the management accepted. Payments were allegedly made for four children enrolled in various grades, along with additional funds for future enrolments.
However, the prosecution, represented by EFCC counsel Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), objected to the admission of the document, arguing that it was premature since the prosecution had not yet rested its case. He cited Section 232 of the Evidence Act to support his stance.
Daudu countered by pointing to other provisions in the Evidence Act, stating that once a document is relevant to the case, it should be admissible. He asserted that the court ruling in question upheld the fee payments, making the document significant to the defence’s argument.
In response, Pinheiro urged the court to reject the document, insisting that the defence had not demonstrated its admissibility under the law.
Meanwhile, Ojehomon confirmed that payments for Bello’s children were made through multiple company accounts, including those linked to Forza Oil and Gas, Whales Oil and Gas, Aleshua Solution Services, and Dada Rand Merchant Limited in Uganda.
During questioning, the EFCC’s counsel pressed the witness to specify the names listed on the payment receipts. While Ojehomon confirmed they were issued for Bello’s children, the defence insisted that he read the exact names from the receipts rather than summarising.
After hearing the arguments, Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the proceedings, setting May 8 and 9 for a ruling on whether the FCT High Court judgment could be used as evidence in the trial.
