The Federal High Court in Abuja has rescheduled the money laundering trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, to March 6 and 7, 2025.
During Monday’s proceedings, two prosecution witnesses testified in the case filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Segun Adeleke, General Manager of Efab Properties Limited, detailed property transactions in Maitama and Gwarinpa. He clarified that while payments were made for these properties, Yahaya Bello’s name did not appear on any legal documents, and he had no direct dealings with the former governor.
Adeleke explained that in 2020, he was introduced to a man identified as Shehu Bello, who negotiated the purchase of a Maitama property valued at ₦550 million. Payment was made in U.S. dollars, with the exchange rate verified through a Bureau de Change.
He further mentioned that another property in Gwarinpa was acquired for ₦70 million by an individual named Nuhu Mohammed, who completed the transaction via bank transfer.
Under cross-examination, Adeleke confirmed that Yahaya Bello was not physically present at any point during the negotiations or documentation process.
The second witness, Williams Abimbola, a compliance officer at United Bank for Africa (UBA), presented financial records under a court subpoena. These included bank statements related to the Kogi State Government House, among others.
Following the submission of documents, which were accepted as evidence, the court set the next hearing date for March 2025.