ABUJA – In a significant blow to the defense, a Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that the extra-judicial statements made by Ali Bello, Chief of Staff to the Kogi State Governor, were given voluntarily and are admissible as evidence in his ongoing ₦10.2 billion money laundering trial.
Justice James Omotosho delivered the ruling on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, effectively ending a “trial-within-trial” that had stalled the main proceedings. The sub-trial was triggered after Ali Bello—nephew to former Governor Yahaya Bello—and his co-defendant, Dauda Sulaiman, alleged that their statements to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) were obtained through “duress and threats.”
Dismissing the defendants’ claims, Justice Omotosho noted that the investigative process adhered strictly to the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015. He highlighted that the defendants’ own legal counsel was not only present during the interrogations but also endorsed the statements as voluntary.
“It is clear that the defendants had their counsel present… the investigative team allowed the counsel to even endorse some of the statements as confessional,” the judge Remarked.
The court subsequently admitted six statements from Ali Bello and two from Sulaiman as formal exhibits in the main trial.
The ₦10 Billion Allegations
The EFCC is prosecuting the duo on a 16-count amended charge. They are accused of orchestrating a massive misappropriation of Kogi State funds totaling ₦10,270,556,800.00 during the administration of the former governor.
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Evidence previously led by the 17th prosecution witness, an EFCC investigator, linked the defendants to suspicious inflows used to acquire high-end properties in Abuja, including locations in Gwarimpa and Wuse Zone 4. One specific entry allegedly showed a $91,000 transaction labeled for “Oga Ali.”
With the “trial-within-trial” hurdle cleared, Justice Omotosho has adjourned the case until April 21 and 24, 2026. These dates are slated for the prosecution to officially close its case, moving the high-profile trial toward a final judgment.
