An official from the American International School, Abuja, revealed on Wednesday that former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello paid a staggering $,includingan\; advancepaymentof$845,852 for future enrollment. The disclosure was made during a hearing at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where Bello is facing an N80.2 billion fraud charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Nicholas Ojehomon, an auditor at the school, testified as a prosecution witness, providing detailed financial records that showed the payments were made in two tranches. One part covered the tuition fees for Bello’s children until graduation, while the other served as an advance payment for future children who were yet to be enrolled.

Breakdown of the Payments
Ojehomon explained that the payments were facilitated by Bello’s brother, Ali Bello, who contacted the school on August 13, 2021, requesting to pay the tuition fees for Bello’s children until they graduated. The school management accepted the offer, and the payments were made accordingly.

The payments covered four of Bello’s children, who were enrolled in Grades 8, 6, 4, and 2 at the time. The breakdown of the payments is as follows:

• $90,074 for Bello’s daughter in Grade 8
• $87,470 for his daughter in Grade 6
• $26,241 for his daughter in Grade 4
• $18,707 for his daughter in Grade 2

Additionally, an advance payment of $845,852 was made for future children who were expected to start school in August 2022, provided space was available.

Ojehomon also confirmed that the school refunded 760,910.84 to the EFCC following an investigation into the matter. The refund was made to an account domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). This revelation aligns with earlier claims by the EFCC that the school had refunded the advance payment after the commission launched its probe.

EFCC Presents Financial Records
During the trial, the EFCC presented financial records, including statements from the American International School, which detailed the payments made on behalf of Bello’s children. The prosecution also tendered a contractual agreement between the school and Ali Bello, outlining the prepayment arrangement.

EFCC counsel, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), submitted the school’s admission and prepaid tuition fee documents as exhibits. The documents provided a clear trail of the transactions, further strengthening the prosecution’s case against Bello.

Testimony from UBA Compliance Officer
Williams Abimbola, a compliance officer with United Bank for Africa (UBA), also testified as a prosecution witness. She presented financial documents, including statements from accounts operated under Bello’s administration. According to her testimony, multiple withdrawals were made through cheques from the Kogi State Government House account.

The transactions, often broken into N10 million tranches, were primarily issued to two individuals: Abdulsalam Hudu and Aminu J.O. Williams confirmed that on December 12, 2018, ten transactions of N10 million each were processed in favor of Abdulsalam Hudu.

She also named key signatories on the account, including Christopher Enefola (Permanent Secretary), Onekutu Daniel (Chief Accountant), and Abdulsalam Hudu (Accountant). However, under cross-examination, Williams admitted that Bello’s name did not appear in any of the transactions related to the Kogi Government House account.

Defense Challenges Prosecution’s Case
Defense counsel Daudu pointed out that Bello’s name was absent from the financial records presented by the prosecution. “The name Yahaya Bello does not feature in exhibits P1 to P27,” he noted. Williams confirmed this, stating, “The name Bello did not appear anywhere.”

She also admitted that she was not the account officer in charge of the Kogi Government House account and that the account was managed from Lokoja, Kogi State, rather than her branch in Area 3, Abuja.

Adjournment and Next Steps
Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the trial to Friday, March 6, for the continuation of proceedings. The case has drawn significant attention due to the high-profile nature of the defendant and the substantial sums of money involved.

Implications of the Case
The trial highlights the EFCC’s ongoing efforts to hold public officials accountable for alleged financial misconduct. The revelations about the exorbitant school fees paid by Bello have sparked public outrage, with many questioning the source of the funds.

As the case unfolds, it will be crucial to determine whether the payments were made using legitimate funds or if they were linked to the N80.2 billion fraud charge against Bello. The outcome of the trial could have far-reaching implications for Nigeria’s fight against corruption and the accountability of public officials.

Conclusion
The testimony provided by officials from the American International School and UBA has shed light on the financial dealings of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello. With the trial set to continue, all eyes will be on the Federal High Court in Abuja as it seeks to deliver justice in this high-profile case.