N80.2bn fraud: Bello paid $1.6m for kids tuition – Witness
The prosecution witness from the American International School on Wednesday confirmed to the Federal High Court in Abuja that the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, paid a total sum of $1,606,763.68 for his children’s tuition to the school.
Nicholas Ojehomon, an auditor at the school, while being led in evidence by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission counsel, Professor Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), informed the court that the sum paid covered Bello’s children’s school fees from their current classes until graduation.
He also added that the second portion of the fees, which was paid in two tranches, was an advance payment for the children’s school fees.
Bello is facing an N80.2 billion fraud brought against him by the EFCC.
At the last sitting on January 29, EFCC’s second prosecution witness, a compliance officer with United Bank for Africa Plc, Williams Abimbola, who testified under subpoena tendered among other documents, the statement of account of American International School, Abuja, where Bello’s children are students.
EFCC had last year April claimed that its investigation revealed that shortly before the end of his tenure, Bello paid $760,000 as advanced school fees for his children at the American International School, Abuja.
The anti-graft agency also said the school refunded the money to it in the course of its investigation into the school.
The PUNCH reported that the American International School of Abuja had earlier asked the EFCC to provide “authentic banking details” for the refund of fees paid for the children of the former governor.
At the resumed trial Ojehomon who said that he has been working with American International School Abuja for eight years, disclosed that Yahaya Bello’s brother Ali Bello contacted the school to make the payment.
He said, “Mr Ali Bello contacted American International School Abuja on Friday, August 13 requesting to pay the Bello children’s school fees until they graduate. It was agreed by the school management to accept Mr Bello’s offer”.
He further disclosed that the fees were paid for four of Bello’s children enrolled in the school -who are students in grade 8, grade 6, grade 4 and grade 2.
He added that Bello also made payment for his “Future children to be enrolled in August 2022 if application is obtainable and space available”.
Ojehomon also told the court that the final graduating class in the school is grade 12.
Ojehomon further stated that Bello’s daughter who is in grade 8 will have four years left while the one in grade six has six years left, his daughter in grade four has eight years left and the one in grade two has ten years left before graduating.
Ojehomon also said $90,074 was paid for Bello’s daughter in grade 8, while $87,470 was for his daughter’s er in grade 6, $26,241 for his daughter in grade 4 and $18,707 paid for his daughter in grade 2.
He added saying “Two amounts were stated on the letter. The first 845,852.84 dollars and the second amount 760,910.84 dollars”.
Pinheiro proceeded to ask the witness to confirm which of the two quoted amounts was refunded to the EFCC.
The witness responded by saying “760,910.84 cents”
The witness also identified a document which he said is the contractual agreement for the Bello children’s pre-paid school fees until graduation signed by Mr Bright Hughes of the American International School and Mr Ali Bello.
Pinheiro tendered two documents to the court, the school Admission letter and the paid tuition fees letter.
Identifying a letter which he said was from the American International School of Abuja to EFCC requesting a valid bank account detail, the witness stated that some monies were refunded to the EFCC.
Pinheiro asked him “What account number was provided by the EFCC for the refund”?
The witness responded saying “It is an account domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria”.
The witness also said Bello’s children, whose fees were paid for as future students, were slated to resume in 2022.
He also added that the school operates both local and foreign bank accounts.
Earlier, Williams, the second prosecution witness from UBA bank, who started her testimony from the last sitting, took the witness box to complete her testimony.
Williams, who is giving testimony under subpoena by the court, tendered the account opening packages for the Kogi State Government House under Bello’s administration.
She also tendered the statements of account operated while Bello was governor of Kogi State.
The subpoena, according to the prosecution, requested the Pw2 to produce the statement of account of one Macelina Njoku, from 1st January 2019 to 31st December 2020.
She stated that a lot of withdrawals through cheques were carried out from the government House account, with specifically two beneficiaries, Abdulsalami Hudu and Aminu J.O.
She said “My Lord, page two shows that withdrawals on the account went majorly to two beneficiaries Abdulsalam Hudu and Aminu J.O.
She further added that the withdrawals which were done with cheques were broken into trenches with each maximum cheque withdrawal pegged at N10 million.
She also said the beneficiary was issued a cheque by the account holder or signatory for the value stated on the cheque.
Williams also said the cheques were presented across the counter, further explaining that “My lord, we have two scenarios when cheques are presented across the counter. It is either paid as cash or deposited into the beneficiary account”.
Specifically, she confirmed that on December 12, 2018, ten transactions of N10 million naira in a consistent pattern were done in favour of Abdulsalam Hudu.
When Daudu asked her to name three signatories on the account, she listed the permanent secretary of Kogi State Government House, Christopher Enefola, Chief Accountant, Onekutu Daniel and Accountant Abdulsalam Hudu.
Meanwhile, she named the permanent Secretary J. B Achibulu, Director admin and finance A. A Umar, assistant director accounts J.B Ajefu and Alhaji Yakubu Ismail, who was Permanent Secretary as the signatories on the mandate account.
She also added that Ismail’s picture is the only one on the form.
She, however, added that Bello’s name did not appear in the government house bank account transactions.
Daudu asked, “Exhibit P1- P27, the name Yahaya Bello did not feature in it”.
She responded, “The name Bello did not appear anywhere”.
She further admitted that she wasn’t the accounts officer of the Kogi Government House account and that the account is domiciled in Lokoja, Kogi State, and not in Area 3, Abuja, where she works.
The trial judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, adjourned till Friday, March 6, for the continuation of the trial.
