Witness Tells Court Abuja Property Was Bought for ₦650m in Yahaya Bello Trial
Proceedings in the alleged money laundering trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, continued on Monday at the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja, with a prosecution witness giving details about the purchase of a property in Wuse II valued at ₦650 million.
The case is being handled by Justice Emeka Nwite, while the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is prosecuting the former governor on a 19-count charge involving alleged money laundering amounting to ₦80.24 billion.
The 11th prosecution witness, James Bem Igbakymeh, a lawyer, told the court that he was directed by his client in October 2021 to sell a property located at Plot 1058, Cadastral Zone A08, Wuse II in Abuja. To attract buyers, he placed a banner on the building advertising it for sale.
Igbakymeh said a man identified as Shehu Bello later contacted him and visited his office to discuss the potential purchase. After negotiations, both parties agreed on a price of ₦650 million.
He explained that the payment was eventually made through three accounts belonging to companies provided by his client. The accounts included those of SFC Foods Limited and JIT Agric Limited in Polaris Bank, as well as another SFC Foods Limited account in Heritage Bank.
The witness added that the payments were processed through different bureau de change operators before the necessary documents transferring ownership of the property were handed over to the buyer.
He further told the court that investigators from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission later contacted him during the course of their probe. He said he received a call from an official who asked him to report to the commission’s office in Wuse II, Abuja, where he wrote a statement and submitted documents related to the transaction.
When presented with the Offer Letter and Deed of Assignment connected to the sale, the lawyer confirmed he could identify both documents. The court subsequently admitted them as evidence, marking the Deed of Assignment and the Offer Letter as Exhibits 44 and 45 respectively, although the defence chose to reserve its objections until the final written address.
While reviewing the documents, the witness noted that the name listed as the assignee on the Deed of Assignment was Ali Bello. Asked whether Ali Bello and Shehu Bello were the same individual, he told the court they were not.
He explained that both men had appeared together during negotiations and had visited his office twice in relation to the property purchase.
During cross-examination, Igbakymeh stated that he did not prepare the Deed of Assignment himself, explaining that the document was brought to him by the individuals who intended to buy the property. After concluding his testimony, the court discharged him as a witness.
The prosecution then called its 12th witness, Jamilu Abdullahi, a bureau de change operator. Abdullahi informed the court that he owned three companies: Kunfayakun Global Limited, E-Traders International Limited and De-Remita International Limited.
He also confirmed that he had earlier given a statement to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in 2021, which was admitted in court as Exhibit 36. Abdullahi further stated that he was the signatory to the companies’ bank accounts and also operated a personal account with Access Bank.
