Alleged N10.2billion Fraud: EFCC Closes Case Against Yahaya Bello’s Nephew, Ali Bello After Calling 17 Witnesses
Alleged N10.2billion Fraud: EFCC Closes Case Against Yahaya Bello’s Nephew, Ali Bello After Calling 17 Witnesses
Ali Bello, who currently serves as Chief of Staff to Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, and Suleiman are facing an amended 16-count charge bordering on alleged misappropriation and money laundering involving N10,270,556,800.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has closed its case against Ali Bello, a nephew of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, and his co-defendant, Dauda Suleiman, after presenting 17 witnesses in an alleged N10.2 billion fraud and money laundering trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The anti-graft agency concluded its case on Tuesday before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, after its 17th prosecution witness completed his testimony.
Ali Bello, who currently serves as Chief of Staff to Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, and Suleiman are facing an amended 16-count charge bordering on alleged misappropriation and money laundering involving N10,270,556,800.
At Tuesday’s proceedings, the final prosecution witness, Ahmed Audu Abubakar, an investigator with the EFCC, concluded his evidence under re-examination by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), who is the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Commission.
During the hearing, the prosecution tendered four statements made by Abdulsalam Hudu, a cashier in the Kogi State Government House Administration, dated August 7, August 14, September 3 and September 24, 2024.
The defence did not oppose the admissibility of the documents, prompting the court to admit them as evidence and mark them as Exhibits B1, B2, B3 and B4.
The prosecution subsequently directed the witness to portions of the statements relating to a N300,000 payment allegedly made by a bureau de change operator to Hudu.
While reading from the August 14, 2024 statement, the witness told the court that the money was received from Ali Bello for the purchase of books intended to support a community school project.
Following the conclusion of his testimony and the absence of further questions from both the prosecution and defence teams, the witness was discharged.
Oyedepo thereafter informed the court that the EFCC had closed its case after calling 17 witnesses and tendering several documentary exhibits in support of the charges against the defendants.
With the prosecution’s case concluded, counsel to the first defendant, A.M. Aliyu (SAN), alongside counsel to the second defendant, informed the court of their intention to file a no-case submission, arguing that the prosecution had failed to establish a case requiring the defendants to enter a defence.
The defence requested four days to file its no-case submission, while the prosecution sought three days to respond. Defence lawyers further requested an additional 24 hours to address points of law raised by the prosecution.
Justice Omotosho granted the requests and adjourned the matter until June 15, 2026, for the adoption of written addresses on the no-case submission.
