An EFCC witness, Mr Nicholas Ojehomon, told a Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday, May 8, that no money was transferred from the Kogi State government to the American International School, Abuja (AISA), for the payment of school fees belonging to the children of ex-Governor Yahaya Bello.
Ojehomon, who is AISA’s internal auditor and the third prosecution witness (PW-3) in the ongoing money laundering trial against Bello, made the statement during cross-examination by Bello’s lawyer, Joseph Daudu, SAN.
Referring to AISA’s bank statement admitted as Exhibit 16, Daudu asked, “Look at the fund column by column, it seems it does have the names of who wired money into the account?”
“Yes, it does,” Ojehomon replied. “Is there any wired transfer coming from the Kogi State government?” Daudu asked.
“No, there is no such name,” the witness responded. “What of any local government from Kogi State?”
“No,” he answered.
“What of the name, Alhaji Yahaya Bello? Is there any direct transfer bearing the name, Yahaya Bello, on the face of the document?”
“No, there is no name like Yahaya Bello in the statement,” Ojehomon said.
When asked if other parents also pay school fees into the account, he said: “Yes, I confirm other parents pay into the account.”
He further confirmed that their names appear in the bank statements.
Earlier, Justice Emeka Nwite dismissed the EFCC’s objection to the defence’s attempt to tender a prior judgment delivered by an FCT High Court in a case involving Ali Bello and the Incorporated Trustees of AISA.
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The EFCC, through its counsel Kemi Pinhero, SAN, had opposed the move, arguing that the prosecution had not closed its case. But Daudu insisted the judgment was relevant.
In his ruling, Justice Nwite held that the court was “inclined to agree with the counsel to the ex-governor, Joseph Daudu, SAN, that the argument of the anti-graft agency’s lawyer, Kemi Pinhero, SAN, was preemptive.”
He added, “The court has since moved away from the platform of technicalities to the platform of substantial justice.”
“Consequently, the argument of the prosecution that the defence cannot present the document is hereby discountenanced,” he ruled, admitting the judgment as Exhibit 19.
During the resumed trial, Daudu asked Ojehomon to read out pages of the judgment. EFCC’s lawyer, Olukayode Enitan, SAN, objected, arguing that it was inappropriate for a non-legal expert to interpret a judgment.
Daudu countered, saying: “I am not asking for the witness’ opinion. I am speaking to the document just the same way they did.”
He added, “I should be allowed to conduct my case because it may be devastating to my case if I am not allowed to.”
Justice Nwite allowed the defence to proceed.
Ojehomon read out sections of the judgment which noted that there was no order for AISA to return the money to the EFCC, nor had any court declared the funds to be proceeds of money laundering.
The judgment further held that AISA could not transfer any fees paid under a future payment agreement with the Bello family to the EFCC or any other party without a court order.
It also reaffirmed the school’s binding contract with the Bello family regarding the children’s fees. The trial is set to continue on May 9.