Bombshell In Court: EFCC Witness Admits No Funds Were Transferred From Kogi Govt In Yahaya Bello Case

The trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, took a surprising twist on Thursday as a key prosecution witness, Nicholas Ojehomon, admitted during cross-examination that there was no record of any wire transfer from the Kogi State Government or its local government areas to the American International School, Abuja (AISA).

Ojehomon, who works as an internal auditor at AISA, made the revelation while testifying before the Federal High Court in Abuja in the ongoing trial where Bello faces charges of alleged money laundering and financial misconduct alongside some associates.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), represented by lead prosecutor Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), had accused Bello of embezzling public funds, including a controversial $760,910 allegedly paid to AISA.

However, Ojehomon contradicted the EFCC’s allegations by confirming that the payment did not originate from any official Kogi State Government account. When shown Exhibit 19 — a judgment from the Federal Capital Territory High Court — he confirmed it made no declaration that the money was proceeds of money laundering or that AISA was ordered to refund it to the EFCC.

Under cross-examination by Bello’s counsel, Joseph Daudu (SAN), Ojehomon affirmed, “No, there is no such name,” when asked whether Kogi State was identified in the school’s payment records.

The EFCC initially objected to the admission of the FCT Court judgment as evidence, but Justice Emeka Nwite overruled the objection, stating that relevance was paramount to ensuring substantial justice. The judgment was then admitted into evidence as Exhibit 19.

Ojehomon also read portions of the judgment, which acknowledged a contractual agreement between AISA and the Bello family regarding the payment of future school fees. It was established in court that AISA could not refund the funds or act without a court order.

Daudu, defending Bello, emphasized the importance of admitting the judgment into evidence, claiming the EFCC’s accusations lacked concrete proof of misappropriation. He argued that without proper evidence, the entire basis of the EFCC’s claims could collapse.

Justice Nwite ruled in favor of the defense, permitting the witness to fully reference the judgment in support of Bello’s case. The case has been adjourned to May 9, 2025, for further hearing and cross-examination.