N110bn fraud: EFCC presents first witness as court overrules Yahaya Bello’s objection
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday presented its first witness in the trial of the former Kogi state governor Yahaya Bello, who is facing a 16-count money laundering charge.
According to TheCable, the witness, Fabian Nwaora, a real estate businessman, while being presented by the EFCC in court before Maryann Anenih, the presiding judge, testified before the court in Abuja on Wednesday that his company, EFAB Properties, sold a property in Maitama, Abuja, to a man named Shehu Bello for N550 million in 2020.
He furthered that in 2023, Shehu returned all the property documents, informing him that the EFCC was investigating the transaction.
According to Nwaora, he was later summoned by the EFCC and instructed to refund the money to an account provided by the anti-graft agency.
The defendants had opposed the trial’s commencement, arguing that the EFCC had not provided them with all the evidence it intended to use.
READ ALSO: Alleged N110bn fraud: Ex-Kogi gov Yahaya granted N500m bail
Meanwhile, the court overruled an objection from Bello and his co-defendants seeking to delay proceedings, thereby ruling that they had not submitted a formal application to justify an adjournment.
The matter has been adjourned to April 3 for further hearing.
The Informant247 reports that Bello is accused of a criminal breach of trust involving N110,446,470,089, an offence under the Penal Code.
He has been granted bail set at N500 million, with three sureties who must own properties in high-value areas of Abuja, including Asokoro, Wuse 2, and Guzape.
The sureties were also required to provide passport photographs and other forms of identification, such as a National Identification Number (NIN).
Source: TheCable
