Manny Ita –
Former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of conducting a “political trial” rather than a genuine criminal prosecution in the ongoing N80.2 billion money laundering case against him. The allegation was raised by Bello’s legal team during proceedings at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday, as the court continued the cross-examination of prosecution witnesses.
The case centers on allegations that Bello and several associates conspired in February 2016 to convert N80,246,470,088.88 allegedly obtained through a criminal breach of trust, an act the EFCC maintains violates the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011. During the resumed hearing before Justice Emeka Nwite, the EFCC’s seventh prosecution witness, a compliance officer from a commercial bank, was questioned regarding transactions linked to Kogi State local government accounts.
Under cross-examination by defense counsel Joseph Daudu, SAN, the witness admitted to being unaware of the specific purposes behind the financial entries. When asked if the defendant served as a local government chairman, the witness replied, “No, the defendant wasn’t a local government chairman.” This prompted EFCC counsel Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, to intervene, arguing that money laundering involves disguised payments. Daudu countered the assertion by stating, “Very soon, we will know that this is not a money laundering trial but a political trial.”
The defense argues that the financial records presented thus far fail to establish a direct link between the former governor and the local government transactions cited by the prosecution. This follows earlier testimony from Nicholas Ohehomon, a representative of the American International School (AIS), who provided evidence regarding school fees paid for Bello’s children. The EFCC alleges these payments were made using the proceeds of crime, while the defense has moved to admit a separate FCT High Court judgment to challenge the origin of those funds.
The trial has been characterized by months of legal and public friction, including the EFCC declaring Bello wanted before his eventual arrest and arraignment. Justice Nwite has adjourned the matter to February 5, 2026, for the continuation of cross-examination as the court prepares to determine the weight of the documentary and oral evidence submitted by both parties.
