KEY POINTS

• Court refused to admit CTCs of documents in Yahaya Bello’s trial due to absence of payment receipts.

• Defence attempted to tender documents from another Federal High Court, but prosecution raised a procedural objection.

• Trial was adjourned to February 5, 2026, for continuation of cross-examination of PW7.

The trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, over alleged fraud and money laundering involving ₦80.2 billion, continued on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, at the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja, with the court declining to admit certain documents sought to be tendered by the defence.

Bello is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 19-count charge bordering on money laundering and alleged diversion of public funds amounting to ₦80,246,470,088.88.

The case is being heard by Justice Emeka Nwite.

At the resumed proceedings, prosecuting counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, informed the court that the matter was fixed for the continuation of cross-examination of Prosecution Witness Seven (PW7).

He added that the EFCC had three witnesses available to testify.

Witness Confirms Prior Testimony in Another Court

During cross-examination by defence counsel, J.B. Daudu, SAN, Egoro confirmed that he appeared before the court in obedience to a subpoena.

He also told the court that he had earlier tendered several documents, which were admitted and marked as Exhibits 32, 33(1–11), and 34.

The witness further disclosed that he had previously testified before another Federal High Court in connection with the same set of documents.

However, he said he could not recall the specific defendants involved in that earlier case or whether he testified as Prosecution Witness Two (PW2).

Defence Attempts to Tender Certified True Copies

Following the disclosure, the defence sought to tender Certified True Copies (CTCs) of documents from the other Federal High Court where Egoro had earlier testified.

Responding, prosecution counsel Pinheiro stated that the EFCC had no objection to the admissibility of the documents in principle.

However, he raised a procedural objection, noting that the defence failed to present receipts evidencing payment for the procurement of the CTCs.

Pinheiro argued that, without such receipts, the documents could not be admitted in line with established legal procedure. He also maintained that PW7’s testimony had remained consistent across proceedings.

Justice Emeka Nwite upheld the prosecution’s objection.

The judge ruled that the documents could only be admitted upon presentation of the necessary receipts showing payment for the Certified True Copies, stressing that strict compliance with procedural requirements was mandatory.

In response, defence counsel told the court that efforts were being made to retrieve the receipts to enable proper tendering of the documents.