Kogi ex-Governor Bello’s nephew brought bag filled with dollars to buy N950m Abuja property – Witness

Alli Bello and Former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello

Report indicates that a Yakubu Gana, a witness approached by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, disclosed that former Governor Yahaya Bello’s nephew, Alli Bello and Suleiman allegedly bought a property located in Danube Street, Maitama, Abuja at the cost of N950 million.

He claimed that the house was bought on behalf of the ex-governor through their lawyer, Ramalan Jibril Abdullahi.

Gana who is a counsel for the property owner and seller, also a fourth prosecution witness in the fraud case made this known on Thursday, March 14, at the trial of Alli Bello.

Recall that on December 15, 2022, the anti-corruption agency, EFCC, charged Alli Bello and Suleiman on 10 counts of alleged misappropriation and money laundering.

According to Saharareporters, the EFCC on Thursday, called the former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja for alleged N84 billion money laundering.

The EFCC said it is prosecuting the former governor, his nephew, Dauda Sulaiman and Abdulsalam Hudu on amended 17 counts bordering on money laundering, breach of trust and misappropriation of funds.

During the trial, counsel for EFCC, Oyedepo brought in a fourth Prosecution Witness, PW4, Yakubu Gana, who informed the court that they “negotiated and agreed on N950 million," for the property.

He said, “Their lawyer, Ramalan Abdullahi, said his clients would prefer to pay in cash and in dollars. I had to call my client to inform him because he was not in the country at that time. My client cautioned me whether I knew the buyers, and I answered I knew their lawyer way back in secondary school."

He noted that the money was carried in a 'Ghana must go' bag.

“The lawyer and the clients invited me into their office, a bureau de change office at Zone 4, adjacent to Sheraton, now Abuja Continental Hotel. They then showed me dollars in ‘Ghana must go,’ but the dollars in ‘Ghana must go’ was not up to that N950 million.”

“They said they would make it up by bringing some dollars to make it N950 million. The transaction took us almost two weeks, and the lawyer invited me to the same BDC office for confirmation, then the money was completed in dollar equivalent,” he said.

The case was adjourned to March 28, 2024 for the continuation of the trial.