Federal High Court adjourns Yahaya Bello money laundering trial to May 6 for further cross-examination

The Federal High Court in Abuja adjourns Yahaya Bello's trial to May 6. Cross-examination continues over disputed school fee payments and BDC transactions.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 24, 2026, 10:37 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from News Diary Online

Judicial Adjournment in High-Profile Money Laundering Case

The Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled the continuation of the trial against former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello for early May. Justice Emeka Nwite presided over the Friday session, ultimately deciding to adjourn the proceedings to allow the defense counsel, Joseph Daudu, SAN, more time to cross-examine a key prosecution witness. The case, brought forward by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), centers on allegations of significant financial impropriety and money laundering during the former governor's tenure.

Witness Testimony Under Scrutiny

During the Friday hearing, the court focused on the testimony of Abdullahi Jamilu, the twelfth prosecution witness (PW-12) for the EFCC. Jamilu, a Bureau De Change (BDC) operator, faced intense questioning regarding an initial statement he made to the anti-graft agency in May 2022. The defense aimed to highlight discrepancies between his original written statement and his current oral testimony, specifically concerning the involvement of various oil and gas companies. Jamilu admitted that certain corporate names and specific dollar transactions were absent from his original statement, explaining that he had not been questioned about those specific details at the time.

Disputed International School Fee Payments

A central theme of the day's testimony involved substantial dollar transfers allegedly made to the American International School Abuja (AISA). Jamilu testified that he received instructions from an individual named Abba Adaudu to effect these payments on behalf of students. The witness explained that because his own bank accounts could not directly handle such high-volume dollar transfers, he collaborated with colleagues in the market to fulfill the requests. He confirmed that telex receipts were subsequently forwarded to Adaudu once the transfers were successful, though he noted some discrepancies in the documents presented as evidence in court.