An Abuja-based Bureau de Change, BDC, operator, Jamilu Abdullahi, has revealed how he paid Three Hundred Thousand Dollars, ($300, 000) for the school fees of the former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello’s daughter.
Abdullahi stated this in court during the ongoing trial of Bello over an alleged N3 billion frauds. The operator detailed how the funds were disbursed, raising further questions about financial dealings tied to the case.
Abduallhi who is the third prosecution witness in the trial of former aid to the embattled former Governor, Ali Bello.
Abdullahi narrated the financial transactions between him and the Kogi State Government under Yahaya Bello.
The case is before Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Maitama Abuja.
Ali Bello, who is the current Chief of Staff to the current Governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo, is the nephew of Yahaya Bello.
Bello is facing prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on an 18-count charge of money laundering and misappropriation of N3 billion. He is facing trail alongside Abba Daudu, Yakubu Adabenege, and Iyada Sadat.
Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, the witness disclosed that on one of the occasions, Daudu, the second defendant, brought $300,000 in cash to him. He said the money was for the payment of Yahaya Bello’s daughters’ school fees.
“Daudu called me to say that they had a transaction though it was on the weekend. But I drove down to the office and waited for them to come.
“Upon their arrival (three of them), one of them stayed in the car with the driver. The two of them walked to my office and a friend of Daudu was holding a black leather bag containing $300,000.
“Upon entering, he greeted and Daudu introduced him as his friend and business partner. Saying he had a transaction.
“He dropped $300,000 in cash. I wanted to count the Dollars before they left, but I could not due to a power outage. I told him I could not count it manually. But I needed to confirm that it was $300,000. So, I locked the Dollars in my office safe and two of them left.
“Then, Daudu’s friend said when I confirmed the sum that details would be forwarded to me for payment.
“However, the sum of $300,000 attracts some service charges which he said I should calculate and let Daudu know. After I completed the transfer, I forwarded four receipts indicating $75,000 four times to Daudu. And he confirmed to me that the payment was confirmed successful,” Abdullahi told the court.
The operator responded in the affirmative to question by the prosecution counsel if he knew anything regarding the transactions on Exhibit D, Pages 50, 52 and 53.
He said, “Yes I know the transactions of $75,000, being paid to the school four times totaling $300,000 as forwarded by Abba Daudu. And further confirmed that the fees was paid for one of Yahaya Bello’s daughters.
“And the name of the recipient is Naima Ohunene Bello,” Abdullahi said.
The operator also recalled another payment of the fees done by a company, Aleshua Solutions Services. He noted that he paid $42,170 for Naima Ohunene Bello.
“It was paid on behalf of the student, Naima Ohunene Bello for school fees. And it was based on the instruction and as forwarded by Abba Daudu, and the date is 24th January 2022.”
Abdullahi also identified another payment on Page 7 of Exhibit D. He stated that the $78,160 was a payment for school fees through Aleshua Solutions Services in respect of another Yahaya Bello’s daughter, Fatima Oziohu Bello.
“Based on the receipt before me, I am seeing acknowledgement of $78,135 being paid for Fatima Bello and on the Aleshua Solutions Services.
On Page One of Exhibit D, he identified a transaction of $44,675 also for Naima Bello.
“I have seen it on the receipt of the payment. $44,700 was paid to the school. But due to internal charges from the bank, $25 was deducted, making the total balance of $44,675.00,” he said.
The beneficiary school, he told the court, was American International School (AIS).
source: BusinessDay
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