N10.27bn Fraud Trial: ‘Return Case to Omotosho’, HEDA Tells CJ

The Human and Environmental Development Agenda has urged the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, to return the N10.27 billion alleged money-laundering case involving Ali Bello and others to Justice James Omotosho rather than allow the trial to start afresh.

The demand follows Justice Omotosho’s decision to withdraw from the case on September 24 amid concerns surrounding alleged tampering with an exhibit admitted in evidence.

HEDA said restarting the proceedings could erase substantial progress already made in the case, which began in 2022.

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What happened to the case?

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is prosecuting Ali Bello, Dauda Sulaiman and Abdulsalami Hudu over allegations involving N10.27 billion said to have been misappropriated from the Kogi State Government treasury.

The defendants have denied the allegations.

The prosecution called 17 witnesses and closed its case on June 2, 2026. The defendants subsequently filed no-case submissions.

The case took an unexpected turn over Exhibit N, a mobile phone containing WhatsApp conversations.

Justice Omotosho raised concerns about alleged deletion or alteration of messages on the device and ordered investigations by the police and Department of State Services.

The judge later said the unresolved controversy could affect his consideration of the no-case submissions and create an appearance of bias, prompting his withdrawal.

HEDA’s ARGUMENT

HEDA Chairman Olanrewaju Suraju said the case should be allowed to continue from the point it reached, subject to applicable law and due process.

The organisation also demanded that the outcome of investigations into the alleged evidence tampering be made available to the court.

ValidViewNetwork reports, HEDA has specifically stated that its intervention should not be interpreted as a declaration that any defendant is guilty.

The allegations remain before the court, and the defendants are entitled to the presumption of innocence.The organisation’s argument is about the administration of justice and whether the substantial progress already made can lawfully be preserved.

WHY THE CASE MATTERS

The case has attracted attention because it involves a large sum of alleged public funds and politically connected defendants.

It has also now raised a separate institutional question about the integrity and handling of evidence in a major corruption trial.

ValidViewNetwork reports, any decision by the Chief Judge must balance continuity, fairness to the defendants, evidential integrity and public confidence in the judiciary.

A speedy trial is desirable, but speed cannot come at the expense of a fair trial. Equally, allegations of evidence tampering should be investigated independently and resolved through due process.