A prosecution witness on Thursday told the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama, Abuja, that a total of $760,910.84 was paid as advance school fees for the children of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, at the American International School, Abuja.
The witness, Nicholas Okehone, disclosed this while testifying before Justice Maryanne Anineh.
Bello is being tried alongside Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu on a 16-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and alleged money laundering amounting to ₦110.4 billion.
Led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Prof. Kemi Pinheiro, the witness confirmed that Bello had four children enrolled in 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,” Okehone told the court.
When asked to recall their names, the witness mentioned Zahra Fatima and Na’ima, adding that Nana Fatima Bello and Farid Bello were also among the students. He further stated that Zayyan Ali Bello, the son of Ali Bello, a nephew to the former governor, also benefitted from the payments.
Okehone confirmed several documents earlier 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 correspondence between the school and Ali Bello, as well as school receipts and statements of account from Zenith Bank and TD Bank.
He also confirmed letters exchanged between the school and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission regarding the refund of the school fees.
Despite objections by defence counsel led by Paul Daudu, who said the reasons would be provided in their final written address, Justice Anineh admitted the documents as Exhibits AX1 to AX13.
While identifying Exhibit AX4, the witness described it as an agreement titled “Pre-Paid School Fees Until Graduation.”
According to him, the agreement was signed by Grace Hudge, Head of School at AISA, and Ali Bello on behalf of the Bello family.
The agreement listed Farid Bello, Zahra Bello, Na’ima Bello and Nana Fatima Bello as beneficiaries, while Zayyan Ali Bello was included as a prospective student.
Okehone told the court that the school received payments through several international transfers.
He listed some of the payments as $49,600 from Forza Oil and Gas for Zahra Omanike Bello; $44,700 from the same company for Fatima Bello; $11,000 from Whales Oil and Gas for Farida Oricha; $78,160 from Alyeshua Solutions Services for Fatima Bello; and $42,170 from the same firm for Na’ima Ohunene Bello.
He added that Unnati General Trading LLC, through First Abu Dhabi Bank in the United Arab Emirates, made multiple transfers of $75,000 for Na’ima, Farid, Fatima and Zahra Bello.
Another payment of $100,000 was reportedly made by Manzi Issa from Kampala, Uganda, for Zayyad Ali Bello, while Dada Grand Merchant Limited, also based in Uganda, paid $90,000 for Zainab Ali Bello.
According to the witness, the school’s TD Bank account reflected several inflows consistent with the transfers, including payments of $29,575, $44,675, $78,135, $42,145 and $74,920.71, which was transferred four times on September 7.
“I confirm that all the payments are in line with the agreement to pay school fees in advance,” he said.
The witness further told the court that the school later refunded the money following correspondence with the EFCC.
“The American International School wrote to the EFCC indicating its intention to refund the school fees paid. The EFCC then provided account details, and the school refunded the total sum of $760,910.84 to an EFCC account with the Central Bank of Nigeria,” he said.
Earlier, Prosecution Witness 13, Yakubu Haruna, a lawyer, testified on the sale of a property located at No. 35 Danube Street, Maitama.
Haruna said the property, comprising four detached housing units, belonged to Palchi Nigeria Limited, whose director is Honourable Faruk Mustapha.
According to him, the property was sold in January 2022 to White Tree Nigeria Limited for ₦950 million, which was paid in United States dollars.
“A man came with the dollar equivalent of ₦950 million in Ghana-Must-Go bags. After confirmation, my client directed the Bureau de Change operator, Murtala Maigari, to take custody of the money,” he told the court.
He added that he handed over the title documents to the buyer after the payment was confirmed.
Also testifying were Olomotane Egoro, a compliance officer with Access Bank, and James Bem Igbakymeh, a legal practitioner.
Igbakymeh told the court that he facilitated the sale of another property located on Durban Street, Wuse II, Abuja, belonging to SFC Foods Limited for ₦650 million.
According to him, a man identified as Shehu Bello negotiated the purchase, while payments were made through accounts belonging to SFC Foods Limited and JIT Agric Limited via Bureau de Change operators.
He added that he later honoured an invitation by the EFCC and submitted copies of the transaction documents to investigators.
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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 through Keystone Bank in tranches by Murtala Maigari on behalf of Ali Bello.
The court admitted the Deed of Assignment and the Irrevocable Power of Attorney relating to the transaction as Exhibits AW1 and AW2.
After hearing the testimonies, Justice Anineh adjourned the case to May 5 and 8 as well as June 16 and 17, 2026, for hearing of pending applications and continuation of trial.
