RismadarVoice Reporters
February 17, 2026
Witnesses in the trial of Ali Bello, nephew of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello, and his co-defendant, Dauda Sulaiman, denied claims that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) threatened the defendants with an electric chair to extract statements.
Second Prosecution Witness, PW2, Yazid Bawa, an EFCC investigator, testified on Tuesday before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, that no coercion was applied on the defendants.
When asked who allegedly threatened Sulaiman, PW2 said, “No one. In fact, I have never seen one before.” He maintained that the defendants’ statements were voluntarily made.
Similarly, the Third Prosecution Witness, PW3, Adamu Usman Yusuf, head of the EFCC investigative team, denied any threats or maltreatment. He added that throughout the statement-taking process, the defendants’ legal counsel was present, and there were instances where the defendants refused to comment.
When shown Exhibits TWT A and B, PW3 confirmed that the statements were not forced and that the defendants signed cautionary words voluntarily. He explained that the statements were not audio-visually recorded because they were confessional and no complaints of maltreatment were raised by the defence.
Under cross-examination, defence counsel A.M. Aliyu, SAN, alleged that Ali Bello was told by EFCC officers that he would “rot in jail” if he did not implicate former Governor Yahaya Bello. PW3 rejected the claim, saying, “My lord, that is not true.”
The sub-trial arose from the defendants’mid-trial claim that their extra-judicial statements were obtained under duress. Ali Bello, who is also Chief of Staff to the Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, and Sulaiman are facing a 16-count amended charge of misappropriation and money laundering involving ₦10,270,556,800.
Justice Omotosho adjourned the matter to February 18, 2026, for the defence to open and close its case and for further continuation of the hearing.
