A prosecution witness in the ₦110.4 billion fraud trial of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello on Tuesday acknowledged under cross-examination that an earlier written statement to anti-graft investigators conflicted with his sworn testimony in another court over a $300,000 foreign exchange transaction.
The witness, Jamilu Abdullahi, the nineteenth called by the prosecution (PW19), runs a Bureau de Change business, Kunfayakun Global Services Limited. He testified before Justice Maryann Anenih of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Maitama.
At the previous sitting on Oct. 17, Abdullahi said the cash exchange was conducted strictly between his firm and private business interests tied to Abba Adaudu. His account, as presented in court, did not implicate Bello.
On Tuesday, defense lawyer Joseph Bodunrin Daudu, SAN, who represents the first and second defendants, confronted him with his earlier statements. With no objection from the prosecution, led by Professor Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, or from counsel to the third defendant, Z.E. Abbas, the court admitted four exhibits.
They were certified true copies of Abdullahi’s evidence in two other cases, a written statement he gave to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on May 3, 2022, and the payment receipt for the certification fees.
The first case, FHC/ABJ/CR/573/2022, involved Bello’s relative Ali Bello, Adaudu and Yakubu Adabenege and was heard before Justice Obiora Egwuatu. Abdullahi’s evidence there was tendered on Sept. 23, 2024. The second, FHC/ABJ/CR/98/2022, was before Justice Emeka Nwite, where he testified on March 3, 2026.
Daudu asked Abdullahi whether he recalled telling Justice Nwite that he dealt with an unnamed associate of Adaudu, not Adaudu himself, in the transaction. The witness said he could no longer recall.
Daudu then directed him to page 14 of his EFCC statement, contained in a previously admitted exhibit, and asked him to read the last paragraph aloud. Abdullahi declined and asked counsel to read it to him. After Daudu did so, the witness confirmed under oath that the statement was his.
According to the account put to the court, the EFCC statement said Adaudu personally arranged the meeting, arrived at Abdullahi’s office with two companions and supervised the handover of the $300,000 to an intermediary. That differs from the testimony before Justice Nwite that he had no direct dealings with Adaudu.
Daudu told the court he had no further questions for the witness.
The prosecution then called its twentieth witness, John Justice, an EFCC investigator of about nine years’ standing. He told the court he has been trained in advance-fee fraud, forensic analysis and anti-money-laundering compliance.
Justice said his investigation covered financial transactions across local government areas in Kogi State and three companies allegedly linked to Adabenege. Pinheiro led him in evidence.
Anenih adjourned the trial to Nov. 24, Dec. 2 and Dec. 8 for continuation and further cross-examination.
