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From Sola Ojo, Abuja
The ongoing trial of former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, continued yesterday at the Federal High Court, Abuja with a prosecution witness narrating how a property in Wuse II, Abuja, was purchased for N650 million.
The witness, James Bem Igbakymeh, a lawyer and the 11th prosecution witness, testified before Justice Emeka Nwite that the property located at Plot 1058, Cadastral Zone A08, Wuse II, Abuja, was sold after negotiations with a man identified as Shehu Bello.
Igbakymeh said he was instructed by his client in October 2021 to sell the property and subsequently placed a banner on the building to attract prospective buyers.
According to him, Shehu Bello contacted him and later visited his office to negotiate the purchase.
“After negotiations, we agreed on a price of N650 million,” the witness told the court.
He explained that the payment was made through three designated accounts belonging to SFC Foods Limited and JIT Agric Limited in Polaris Bank, as well as SFC Foods Limited in Heritage Bank.
The witness added that the funds were paid through different bureau de change operators before the property documents were handed over to the buyer.
Igbakymeh further told the court that he was later invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) during the course of its investigation.
According to him, he honoured the invitation, wrote a statement and submitted all documents relating to the transaction.
When shown the Offer Letter and Deed of Assignment relating to the property, the witness confirmed that he authored the letter and signed the deed alongside his client.
The prosecution tendered the documents in evidence and Justice Nwite admitted the Deed of Assignment and Offer Letter as Exhibits 44 and 45 respectively, while the defence reserved its objections until the final written address.
However, the witness told the court that the name appearing as the assignee in the deed was Ali Bello.
When asked whether Ali Bello and Shehu Bello were the same person, he replied in the negative, explaining that both men had appeared together during negotiations.
“My lord, during the course of the transaction, Shehu Bello came to my office with Ali Bello on two occasions during the negotiations,” he said.
Under cross-examination, the witness admitted that the Deed of Assignment was not prepared by him but brought by those interested in purchasing the property.
After his testimony, the court discharged the witness.
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The prosecution then called its 12th witness, Jamilu Abdullahi, a bureau de change operator, who told the court he owns three companies—Kunfayakun Global Limited, E-Traders International Limited and De-Remita International Limited.
Abdullahi confirmed making a statement to the EFCC in 2021 and identified several bank statements earlier admitted as exhibits.
He told the court that he met one Abba Adaudu in 2021 at Zenith Bank in Apo, Abuja, after discovering they were both involved in foreign exchange transactions.
According to him, Adaudu later began sending funds to him for forex transactions, including multiple deposits made in tranches of N10 million each.
He also stated that deposits totalling N60 million made into his Access Bank account in Lokoja on December 29 and 30, 2021 were not made by him but by Adaudu, although his name appeared in the transaction narration.
“My name was used as the narration, but I was not the one who paid the money. It was Abba Adaudu,” he said.
Abdullahi told the court that he had never visited the Access Bank branch in Lokoja and that he usually converted the funds into dollars before handing the cash to Adaudu.
He added that the transactions lasted for more than a year and sometimes involved transfers from companies linked to Adaudu, including Keyless Nature Limited and Ejadams Essence Limited.
The witness further disclosed that some of the funds were used for international transfers, including payment of school fees to the American International School.
However, he informed the court that he was exhausted due to fasting and could not continue his testimony, prompting the court to stand him down to continue on the next adjourned date.
Earlier in the proceedings, Justice Nwite ruled on the admissibility of documents relating to the alleged sale of another Abuja property located at Plot 1160, Cadastral Zone, Gwarimpa II, reportedly sold for N100 million.
The court admitted the Irrevocable Power of Attorney and the Deed of Assignment as Exhibits 42 and 43.
The judge also heard testimony from an accountant with Dantata and Sawoe Construction Limited, Mahmoud Abdulaziz, who explained that the company authorised Azba Real Estate Limited to execute the deed for the transaction.
Following the testimonies, lead prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, applied for an order setting aside an earlier permission granted to the defendant to travel abroad, citing fresh developments and security concerns.
However, defence counsel J.B. Daudu, SAN, opposed the application, arguing that the defendant had already been granted bail and remained presumed innocent.
Justice Nwite subsequently adjourned the case until April 22, 23 and 24, and May 6 and 7, 2026, for continuation of trial.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is prosecuting Bello on a 19-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering involving about N80.2 billion.
