.Ex-Gov’s name not in Kogi Govt House bank records –Witness
By Blessing Omale, Abuja
A prosecution witness from the American International School of Abuja has told the Federal High Court in Abuja that former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, paid a total of $1,606,763.68 in advance tuition fees for his children.
The witness, Nicholas Ojehomon, an auditor at the school, disclosed this while being led in evidence by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) counsel, Professor Kemi Pinheiro (SAN).
He explained that the payment covered the children’s fees from their current classes up until graduation.
Bello, who is currently facing an N80.2 billion fraud case brought against him by the EFCC, allegedly made the payments in two tranches, with a portion designated for future children he intended to enroll in the school.
During an earlier hearing on January 29, another prosecution witness, a compliance officer with United Bank for Africa (UBA), Williams Abimbola, testified under subpoena and tendered the statement of account of the American International School, Abuja, where Bello’s children are students.
The EFCC had previously claimed that in April last year, its investigation revealed that shortly before the end of his tenure, Bello paid $760,000 in advance school fees for his children.
The anti-graft agency also stated that the school refunded the money to it during the course of its investigation.
The American International School had earlier requested the EFCC to provide “authentic banking details” for the refund of the fees.
During Wednesday’s hearing, Ojehomon, who has worked at the school for eight years, revealed that Bello’s brother, Ali Bello, facilitated the payment.
He stated that on August 13, 2021, Ali Bello contacted the school, requesting to prepay the tuition for four of the former governor’s children, who were in grades 2, 4, 6, and 8 at the time.
The school management accepted the offer, and the payments were processed accordingly.
The witness explained that Bello also made provisions for “future children” he intended to enroll in the school in August 2022, provided their applications were accepted and space was available.
He further detailed the amounts paid, stating that $90,074 was paid for the child in grade 8, $87,470 for the child in grade 6, $26,241 for the child in grade 4, and $18,707 for the child in grade 2.
He confirmed that the payments were made in two tranches, with one amount totaling $845,852.84 and another $760,910.84.
When asked which amount was refunded to the EFCC, he responded that $760,910.84 was returned to an account domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Ojehomon also identified a contractual agreement between the American International School and Ali Bello, which guaranteed the prepayment of the children’s tuition until graduation.
The EFCC counsel, Pinheiro, tendered the school’s admission letter and prepaid tuition fees letter as evidence before the court.
In an earlier testimony, Williams Abimbola, the UBA compliance officer, continued her testimony regarding financial transactions linked to the case. She submitted documents related to bank accounts operated by the Kogi State Government House under Bello’s administration.
The prosecution had subpoenaed her to produce statements of account for a certain Macelina Njoku from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2020.
She testified that numerous withdrawals were made from the government house account, primarily to two beneficiaries, Abdulsalami Hudu and Aminu J.O.
The withdrawals, processed via cheques, were broken into tranches, each limited to N10 million per transaction. On December 12, 2018, she confirmed that ten transactions of N10 million each were made in favor of Abdulsalami Hudu.
When asked to name the signatories on the account, she listed Christopher Enefola, the Permanent Secretary of the Kogi State Government House, along with Chief Accountant Onekutu Daniel and Accountant Abdulsalami Hudu.
She also identified other signatories on the mandate account, including J.B Achibulu, A.A Umar, J.B Ajefu, and Alhaji Yakubu Ismail. However, she stated that Ismail’s picture was the only one present on the form.
She further testified that Bello’s name did not appear on any of the government house bank account transactions presented as evidence.
When defense counsel Daudu asked, “Exhibit P1–P27, did the name Yahaya Bello feature in it?” she responded, “The name Bello did not appear anywhere.”
She also admitted that she was not the account officer for the Kogi Government House account and that the account was domiciled in Lokoja, Kogi State, rather than the Area 3 branch in Abuja, where she works.
Following the testimonies, Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the trial to Friday, March 6, for the continuation of proceedings.
However, A witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mrs. Abimbola Williams, has testified before a Federal High Court in Abuja, stating that former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, was not listed in any of the account opening documents for the Kogi Government House bank account with the United Bank for Africa (UBA).
Williams, a Compliance Officer with UBA, further told the court that Bello’s name did not appear in any of the withdrawals made from account number 1003889575, which was managed by UBA for the Kogi Government House during his tenure as governor.
Her testimony came during proceedings in the money laundering case filed against Bello by the EFCC. Subpoenaed by the court, Williams presented account opening documents related to the Government House Administration under Bello’s administration.
The prosecution had specifically requested statements from the account of one Maselina Njoku, covering transactions between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2020.
Led in evidence by EFCC’s counsel, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), the witness read out several withdrawals made via cheques for Government House operations.
She identified Abdulsalami Hudu as the individual responsible for handling fund withdrawals on behalf of the Government House.
However, during cross-examination by Bello’s lead counsel, Joseph Daudu (SAN), Williams admitted that the former governor’s name did not appear in any of the bank transactions.
She also clarified that she was not the account officer for the Kogi Government House account and that the account was domiciled in Lokoja, not in Area 3, Abuja, where she works.
When asked about specific transactions, she confirmed that ten withdrawals of ₦10 million each were made in favor of Abdulsalami Hudu on December 12, 2018, using cheques presented over the counter.
Under further questioning, Williams acknowledged that as a compliance officer, her role includes protecting the bank from legal penalties, reputational damage, and financial losses.
When asked to identify the three signatories to the account, she did so, but again confirmed that Bello’s name was absent from all account-related documents and statements presented in court.
During re-examination by the EFCC, Williams initially denied knowledge of a signature on a document but later admitted she had signed it on behalf of one Edward Bananga.
This led to another round of cross-examination, where Daudu (SAN) challenged her admission.
Meanwhile, the prosecution introduced another witness, Nicholas Ohehomon, from the American International School, Abuja.
He presented documents related to the admission and tuition fees of Bello’s children, including statements of account, admission letters, and payment receipts.
An EFCC letter to the school, requesting financial details, was also tendered as evidence.
The court adjourned the trial to March 7 for further proceedings.
