The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, closed its case against Ali Bello, a nephew of former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, and his co-defendant, Dauda Suleiman, after presenting 17 witnesses before Justice James Omotosho of a Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja.
The defendants are being prosecuted on amended 16-count charges, bordering on misappropriation and money laundering to the tune of N10,270,556,800.
At the Tuesday sitting, the 17th Prosecution Witness, Ahmed Audu Abubakar, an investigator with the EFCC concluded his testimony under re-examination by prosecution counsel, Director of Public Prosecution, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN.
During the proceedings, the prosecution tendered statements made by Abdulsalam Hudu, cashier of the Kogi State Government House Administration on August 7, August 14, September 3 and September 24, 2024.
With no objections from counsel to the defendants, the court admitted the statements in evidence and marked them as Exhibits B1, B2, B3 and B4 respectively.
The prosecution counsel, thereafter, asked the witness to identify portions of the exhibits relating to the payment of N300,000 by a bureau de change operator to Hudu.
In response, the witness pointed to the August 14, 2024, statement.
While reading from the document, the witness stated that the said N300,000 was received from Ali Bello, who is presently the chief of staff to the Kogi State governor, Ahmed Ododo, for the purchase of books intended for support for a community school project.
Following the conclusion of his testimony and in the absence of further questions from either side, the witness was discharged from the witness box.
Thereafter, the prosecution counsel informed the court that the prosecution had concluded its case after calling 17 witnesses and tendering several documentary exhibits in support of the charges against the defendants.
With the closure of the prosecution’s case, counsel to the first defendant, A. Aliyu, SAN, and counsel to the second defendant informed the court of their intention to file a no-case submission.
The defence subsequently requested four days within which to file their no-case submission.
In response, the prosecution sought three days to file a reply, while the defence further requested 24 hours to respond on points of law.
Justice Omotosho granted the applications and adjourned the matter until June 15, 2026, for the adoption of written addresses on the no-case submission of the defence.
