Court admits school fees judgment as evidence in Yahaya Bello’s N110.4bn fraud trial

A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja has admitted a court judgment as evidence in the ongoing money laundering trial of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission pressed for uninterrupted proceedings in the high-stakes case.

Justice Maryanne Anineh of the FCT High Court, Maitama, admitted the Certified True Copy of a judgment in Suit No. FCT/ST/CB/6574/2023, alongside a payment receipt, marking them as Exhibits AY and AY2 respectively.

The documents were tendered without objection from defence counsel.

The EFCC is prosecuting Bello alongside Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu on a 16-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and money laundering totalling N110.4 billion.

The judgment was tendered through the 14th prosecution witness, Nicholas Okehone, an internal auditor at the American International School, Abuja.

Okehone confirmed that a suit had been filed by one Ali Bello against the school and identified Yahaya Adoza Bello as the father of four children enrolled at the institution.

He disclosed that arrangements were made for the upfront payment of the children’s school fees through to graduation, with a sum of $569,864.12 paid into the school’s account at TD Bank.

Under cross-examination, Okehone confirmed he had served as the school’s internal auditor for approximately eight to nine years but clarified that his role did not involve direct interface with students, and that he did not represent the school in the suit whose judgment was tendered. He was subsequently discharged.

The court also heard arguments on a prosecution application seeking to suspend the hearing of a jurisdiction challenge filed by the first defendant.

Prosecution counsel Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, argued that under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, no criminal trial should be interrupted by interlocutory objections, and that any jurisdictional challenge raised after a plea had been taken should be incorporated into final addresses at judgment stage.

Defence counsel J.B. Daudu, SAN, opposed the application, citing the Supreme Court authority in Shema v FRN. Pinheiro dismissed the relevance of the cited case, arguing it predated a body of superior court decisions on the same provision.

Justice Anineh adjourned the matter to May 8, 2026 for ruling and continuation of trial.