Court Orders Police, DSS Probe Over N10bn Fraud Evidence Tampering
A Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, has ordered the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS) to investigate allegations of evidence tampering in the ongoing N10 billion fraud trial involving Ali Bello, a nephew of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello.
The order was issued by Justice James Omotosho following revelations that a court registrar allegedly connived with one of the defendants to interfere with key electronic evidence already admitted by the court. During proceedings on Thursday, the court played a recorded confession by the registrar, Nasiru Onimisi Zubairu, in which he admitted that he was approached by a co-defendant, Daudu Sulaiman, and asked to delete WhatsApp messages from a mobile phone tendered as an exhibit in the case. The registrar reportedly told the court that he was promised assistance with accommodation in exchange for carrying out the act. Under questioning, Zubairu admitted opening chats on the phone but claimed he could not clearly remember the exact messages deleted. However, an EFCC investigating officer, Muhammed Audu Abubakar, testified that forensic checks revealed that several messages were missing from the device, including conversations allegedly referencing large cash transactions running into tens and hundreds of millions of naira. According to the prosecution, the deleted messages spanned different periods between 2020 and 2022 and were considered crucial to establishing the alleged movement and diversion of Kogi State funds at the centre of the trial. Reacting to the development, lead prosecutor and Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, described the incident as a serious threat to the integrity of the judicial process. He urged the court to order an immediate security investigation, conduct a forensic examination of the device, and consider stricter measures against those involved. Counsel to the defendants expressed surprise at the allegations but appealed to the court to allow security agencies to conclude their investigations before drawing final conclusions. Justice Omotosho subsequently ordered the police and the DSS to jointly investigate the alleged evidence tampering and report their findings. He also directed that the integrity of all court exhibits be preserved going forward to prevent further interference. The case was adjourned to February 9, 2026, for continuation of trial. Ali Bello, who also serves as Chief of Staff to current Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo, alongside Daudu Sulaiman, is facing a 10-count charge bordering on the alleged misappropriation of about ₦10.27 billion in public funds. The charges were brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
