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From Sola Ojo, Abuja
Two high-profile corruption trials involving former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, and former chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, continued on Thursday, February 5, 2026, in Abuja, with fresh revelations on alleged money laundering, diversion of public funds, and attempts to stall proceedings.
At the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, Justice Emeka Nwite heard testimony detailing how N46.5 million was allegedly transferred to the American International School during the trial of Bello, who is facing a 19-count charge of money laundering amounting to N80,246,470,088.88.
Testifying as the eighth prosecution witness (PW8), Gabriel Ochoche, a compliance officer with First City Monument Bank (FCMB), told the court that multiple transfers were made from the account of Kunfayakun Global Limited to educational institutions, including a N30 million transfer on November 1, 2021, and another N16,505,400 to the American International School.
Ochoche, who appeared pursuant to a subpoena tendered and admitted as Exhibit 36, confirmed that he brought to court the statement of account, certificate of compliance, and account opening documents of Kunfayakun Global Limited, account number 7819613011, covering transactions from June 2021 to December 2024.
The documents were admitted as Exhibit 37 without objection.
Reading from the statement of account, PW8 identified major inflows, including N700 million via NIP transfer from Keyless Nature Limited on December 15, 2021, N400 million through RTGS from Access Bank on December 17, 2021, and multiple inflows from Gadonkaya Global Concept on November 2, 2021.
He also confirmed six separate transfers of N100 million each from Ejadams Essence Limited on February 18, 2022, totalling N600 million, as well as an RTGS inflow of N325 million from the same company.
Earlier, prosecution witness 7 (PW7), Olomotane Egoro, a compliance officer with Access Bank, testified under cross-examination, confirming several cash withdrawals totalling over N552 million between 2019 and 2022.
He also disclosed that Access Bank filed a Suspicious Transaction Report (STR) with the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), although its contents could not be disclosed in court.
Justice Nwite upheld an objection by the prosecution against questioning the contents of the STR, ruling that counsel could not interrogate a document not before the court.
The judge admitted additional exhibits, including certified true copies of proceedings and various account-opening documents, before adjourning the matter to March 3 and March 9, 2026, for continuation of trial.
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Meanwhile, at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Asokoro, Justice Abubakar Kutigi warned that he may revoke the bail of Abdulrasheed Maina, who is standing trial over alleged pension fraud totalling N738.6 million, citing repeated attempts to frustrate proceedings.
The judge expressed displeasure over the defence’s presentation of a hospital referral that failed to disclose any illness, describing it as part of the defendant’s long-standing tactics to stall trial.
Justice Kutigi noted that Maina had not appeared in court for four years and insisted that the trial would henceforth proceed with or without his presence.
With the adjournment request refused, the prosecution called its 14th witness (PW14), Gogi Mohammed, an EFCC investigator, who testified that investigations revealed how funds were allegedly siphoned through fictitious contracts, allowances, and biometric enrolment exercises during Maina’s tenure.
The witness told the court that a relative of Maina, Maimuna Usman, was discovered in Kaduna as a custodian of the defendant’s assets, where documents relating to over 30 properties in Abuja and Kaduna were recovered.
He further revealed that some of the properties were purchased in cash, including a Jabi, Abuja, property allegedly bought for $2 million and another in Life Camp for $1.7 million.
Mohammed also testified that contracts awarded for biometric enrolment were inflated at the instance of Maina, with proceeds allegedly returned to him through intermediaries and post-dated cheques.
He identified extra-judicial statements made by the defendants, but their admissibility was challenged by the defence on grounds of duress.
Justice Kutigi consequently adjourned the matter to February 20 and 26, 2026, for a trial-within-trial to determine the voluntariness of the statements.
Maina and his co-defendant, Ann Igwe Olachi, who were arraigned in 2019 on a nine-count charge of receiving stolen property, have both pleaded not guilty.
