The Federal High Court, Abuja Division, on Friday adjourned the alleged money laundering trial of former Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello to May 6 for continuation of the hearing. 

Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the hearing to allow the former governor’s lawyer, Joseph Daudu, SAN, to continue with the cross-examination of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) 12th prosecution witness (PW-12), Abdullahi Jamilu.

Mr Jamilu, who was giving his initial statement to the anti-graft agency to “refresh his memory,” said he made the statement to the EFCC on May 10, 2022.

The witness, while being cross-examined by Mr Daudu, told the court that it was the only statement he made to the commission on the matter.

Mr Jamilu, however, admitted that the issues relating to Wales Oil and Gas, Forza and Aleshua were not in Exhibit 46.

He added that the names he read out in Exhibit 13, Pages 1 to 13, were not also contained in Exhibit 46.

He also confirmed, under cross-examination, that he was not the maker of Exhibit 13.

Justice Nwite had earlier dismissed the objection of the defence counsel to the EFCC lawyer’s bid to re-present Exhibit 46, which is the initial statement of the witness.

In the ruling, the judge held that the objection was speculative and misconstrued.

The witness, however, recalled that he had given similar evidence before Justice Obiora Egwuatu, a brother judge at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

When the defendant’s counsel reminded him that he was the 3rd prosecution witness (PW-3) in the other case, he said he could not remember the exact witness number.

He, however, confirmed that the defendants in that case were Ali Bello, Abah Adaudu, Yakuba Siyaka Adabenege and Iyadi Sadat.

The lawyer then moved to tender the documents, which were admitted as Exhibit 47 without objection.

Looking at the exhibit, the witness admitted that the transactions he talked about in Justice Egwuatu’s court were about the same as the ones he talked about in this case.

He explained that he approached his colleagues to help him effect the dollar transfer payments because his own accounts could not directly handle such.

The witness, a BDC operator, also said that the names of the companies – Wales Oil and Gas, Forza Oil and Gas, and Aleshua Services – were not contained in Exhibit 46 because he was not asked about that and did not remember.

During his examination-in-chief by Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, the lawyer who appeared for EFCC, Mr Jamilu said he remembered giving one Ali, a police officer, some dollars on behalf of Abba Adaudu.

He also noted that the companies mentioned earlier before the court – Aleshua Services, Wales Oil and Gas and Forza Oil and Gas – were companies owned by his colleagues at the market.

The witness added that whenever he did not have enough inflow of dollars to effect dollar transfers, he usually contacted his colleagues and agreed on a rate.

According to him, the instruction to pay American International School Abuja (AISA) was given by Adaudu, who he said came to him with one of his friends for the transaction.

He, however, said he could not remember the name of the friend in question.

The PW-12 told the court that all the transfers were successfully effected to AISA, after which he forwarded the telex advice (transfer receipts) to Mr Adaudu.

The witness was again told to confirm that the documents in Exhibit 13 (P1 to P14) were the telex advice and receipt of the school payment.

“Yes, but I just noticed that P13 and P14 are not part of the documents I tendered as part of the payment I made for the school fees,” he responded.

He mentioned the names of the students on whose behalf the payments were made.

Justice Nwite, thereafter, adjourned the matter until May 6 and May 7 for the continuation of the cross-examination of PW-12.

(NAN)