RismadarVoice Reporters, March 13, 2026
A prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, on Thursday told the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, how a total sum of $760,910.84 was paid as advance school fees for the former governor’s children at the American International School, Abuja (AISA).
The witness, Nicholas Okehone, an Internal Auditor with AISA and Prosecution Witness 14 (PW14), made the disclosure while testifying before Justice Maryanne Anineh, who is presiding over the matter.
Bello is standing trial alongside Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu on a 16-count charge bordering on alleged criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving ₦110.4 billion.
Led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Prof. Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, Okehone confirmed that the first defendant had four children enrolled at the school.
“Yes, I know him as a parent. He has children in my institution. He has four children at the American International School, Abuja,” the witness told the court.
He identified the students as Zahra Fatima Bello, Na’ima Bello, Nana Fatima Bello, and Farid Bello, adding that Zayyan Ali Bello, son of Ali Bello, a nephew to the former governor, was also listed as a beneficiary of the advance fee arrangement.
The witness further confirmed several documents previously tendered before the court, including certificates of identification, admission letters, an agreement for pre-payment of school fees until graduation, telex copies of payments from banks in the United States, email correspondences between AISA and Ali Bello, school receipts, bank statements, and letters exchanged between the school and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Despite objections by defence counsel led by Paul Daudu, SAN, who said reasons for the objection would be advanced in final written addresses, Justice Anineh admitted the documents in evidence as Exhibits AX1 to AX13.
While identifying Exhibit AX4, the witness explained that it was an agreement titled “Pre-Paid School Fees Until Graduation,” signed by Grace Hudge, Head of School at AISA, and Ali Bello on behalf of the family.
Okehone told the court that the school received payments through multiple international transfers, including funds from corporate entities such as Forza Oil and Gas, Whales Oil and Gas, Alyeshua Solutions Services, and Unnati General Trading LLC, as well as individuals from the United Arab Emirates and Uganda.
He also confirmed that the school’s TD Bank account reflected inflows consistent with the transfers, adding that all payments were made in line with the pre-payment agreement.
According to him, the school later refunded the entire sum of $760,910.84 to the EFCC’s account with the Central Bank of Nigeria after correspondence with the anti-graft agency.
Earlier, Prosecution Witness 13, Yakubu Haruna, a lawyer, testified on the sale of a property at No. 35 Danube Street, Maitama, Abuja, belonging to Palchi Nigeria Limited.
He told the court that the property, consisting of four detached housing units, was sold in January 2022 to White Tree Nigeria Limited for ₦950 million, which he said was paid in United States dollars.
“A man came with the dollar equivalent of ₦950 million in big sack bags,” he said, adding that the funds were later handed over to a Bureau de Change operator on the instruction of his client before the title documents were released to the buyer.
Other prosecution witnesses also testified, including Access Bank compliance officer, Olomotane Egoro, and legal practitioner James Bem Igbakymeh, who told the court he facilitated the sale of a property at Durban Street, Wuse II, Abuja, for ₦650 million.
Another witness, Mohammed Abdulaziz, Chief Accountant of Dantata and Sawoe Construction Company Limited, testified that the company sold a plot of land measuring 8,240.72 square metres at Plot 1160, Cadastral Zone C03, Gwarimpa II District, Abuja, to Azba Real Estate Limited for ₦100 million.
He said the payments were made in tranches through Keystone Bank by a Bureau de Change operator acting on behalf of Ali Bello. The court admitted the Deed of Assignment and Irrevocable Power of Attorney relating to the transaction as Exhibits AW1 and AW2.
After hearing the testimonies, Justice Anineh adjourned the matter to May 5 and 8, as well as June 16 and 17, 2026, for the hearing of pending applications and continuation of trial.
