News
Yahaya Bello Vs EFCC: Court Adjourns Ruling and Continuation of Trials to June 26 , 27 and July 4 and 5
You cannot cross examine him based on the document,” Daudu SAN argued. Enitan SAN added that he had the right to draw the attention of the court to some specific paragraphs in the document.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned the hearing of the alleged money laundering case instituted against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to June 26, 27 and July 4 and 5 for ruling on the request by the prosecution to “cross-examine” the 3rd witness and for continuation of trial.
Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the hearing after listening to addresses by the prosecution and defence counsels on the Prosecution’s move to initially cross-examine the witness, a position that was rejected by the Defendant’s Counsel, Joseph Daudu, SAN.
When the matter was called for continuation of cross-examination, the Defendant’s counsel asked the witness, Nicholas Ojehomon, whether he had testified in other courts with respect to the issue of school fees paid by the Bello family to AISA, he said yes.
But the witness, an internal auditor at the American International School, Abuja, said he could not mention the exact courts.
He admitted testifying in a similar charge involving Ali Bello but added that he never said anything adversely against former Governor Yahaya Bello just as he had not said anything negative or adversely against him in the instant charge.
After Daudu SAN concluded the cross-examination of the witness, Nicholas Ojehomon, the EFCC’s lawyer, Olukayode Enitan, SAN, moved to also cross-examine the Commission’s witness on Exhibit 19.
He told the court that he was not re-examining the EFCC’s witness, but cross-examining him because the document was admitted in evidence.
“I am not re-examining him, I am cross-examining him because they brought this document,” he said.
The Defendant’s lawyer, however, drew the court’s attention to the fact that the prosecution counsel’s position was unknown to law, in line with the Evidence Act.
“If you want to cross-examine your own witness, you have to first declare him a hostile witness. You cannot cross examine him based on the document,” Daudu SAN argued. Enitan SAN added that he had the right to draw the attention of the court to some specific paragraphs in the document.
At this point, the judge asked: “Do you have any provision of the law to support this?””I will draw your lordship attention to Section 36 of the Constitution.
They sought to tender this document, we objected and the court granted their prayer. Fair hearing demands that the complainant too has the right to examine this because Section 36 of the Constitution talks of fair hearing,”
Enitan responded. “We are not saying that they cannot re-examine the witness. That is what Section 36 under the law says about fair hearing. But if it is to cross-examine him, he will have to show us the law that backs that.
“He cannot come under the guise of fair hearing to want to cross-examine the witness,” the Defendant’s lawyer maintained. The judge, at the end of the arguments, refused to allow cross-examination of the witness by the EFCC lawyer.”
Under the procedure, the witness gives evidence in chief and the defendant cross examines, then the prosecution re-examines.
“With due respect, what I will do is if you people are so skewed to continue with this, it is better to address me on this and I will take a position,” he stated.
At this point, the prosecution counsel agreed to re-examine the EFCC’s witness and the judge gave him the go-ahead.”You can re-examine him on that but not to ask questions that will show cross examination,” Justice Nwite said.
However, when the prosecution lawyer proceeded to re-examine the witness, and his questions pointed at cross-examination, as observed by Daudu SAN, the judge insisted that the parties had to address him on the specific issue.
The Defendant’s Counsel, in his address, maintained that the position was unknown to law.
“My lord, the procedure that is being sought by the prosecution by refering the witness to the document tender in Exhibit 19 and by asking him to read paragraph 1, without drawing his attention to the issue on how the document affected his evidence in chief, the question asked in cross-examination, and the ambiguity, which needs clarification, amounts to a strange and unknown procedure not covered by the Evidence Act,” he stated.
Enitan SAN, disagreed, saying that in the case of Amobi Amobi referred to by the defendant’s counsel, the Supreme Court held that the learned trial judge ought to have allowed a re-examination of Exhibit E.
He said when the defendant sought to introduce the document, the prosecution team “submitted that this document was not made by the witness and as such, he should not be allowed to speak to it under cross examination or allowed to be confronted with it.”
“Having brought it in now, during the case of the prosecution, particularly during the cross examination of PW-3, your lordship should not allow them to shut us out as that would amount to the court allowing them to blow hot and cold,” Pinheiro SAN said.
Justice Nwite thereafter adjourned to June 26, 27 and July 4 and 5 for ruling and continuation of trial.
The 3rd prosecution witness had, at the last hearing on Thursday, said there was no wired transfer of fees from the Kogi State Government or any of the local Governments in the state to the account of the American International School, Abuja.
He also read out a part of a previous Federal Capital Territory High Court judgment that said there was no court order for AISA to return fees to EFCC or any judgment declaring the money as proceeds of money laundering.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has confirmed that Adeniyi Adeyemi Mathew was never appointed by the Federal Government and that the so-called Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) was a fictitious entity.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Saturday, ICPC Chairman Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, disclosed the findings of the agency’s 30-day probe ordered by President Bola Tinubu on 7 July 2026.
“Recall the President on 7th July, 2026 gave ICPC 30 days to investigate into the fake Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council and today is exactly 30 days. I have just submitted the interim report and briefed Mr. President accordingly,” Aliyu said.
He stated that the President, in the spirit of transparency and accountability, directed him to address the media for the benefit of Nigerians.
According to the interim report:
- Adeniyi Adeyemi Mathew was never appointed by the Federal Government or any authority of government.
- The PFIPC was never established by any law, executive order or other valid instrument of government.
- The appointment letter presented by Adeyemi was completely forged, along with similar documents used to sustain the illegal activities of the fake agency.
- The PFIPC cannibalised the former Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC) and illegally appropriated offices and instruments of operation.
- False projection, false representation, widespread impersonation and a range of illegal activities were perpetrated by Adeyemi as the purported Director-General.
- Weaknesses in verification, inter-agency oversight and government processes were exploited by Adeyemi, with some level of negligence and connivance.
- No funds of the Federal Government were approved or disbursed to the fake PFIPC/PEAC.
Aliyu emphasised that no weaknesses were found in the systems of the State House or the Central Bank of Nigeria, describing their processes as above board. He specifically noted that the fake appointment letter did not originate from the Presidency.
The ICPC further discovered that Adeyemi created two additional fictitious government agencies — the FCT Investment Promotion Agency (FIFA) and the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency and Public Private Partnership (FIFA-PPP). To facilitate their creation, he forged legislative instruments styled as Enabling Acts, which were used to support the opening of bank accounts.
Among the recommendations in the interim report are that Adeyemi should be fully prosecuted, administrative sanctions should be imposed on public officers whose acts of omission and negligence facilitated the illegal operations, and institutional reforms should be implemented.
Aliyu disclosed that investigations are ongoing into all activities and bank accounts linked to the PFIPC, Adeyemi and his collaborators.
News
PFIPC: Adeyemi should be prosecuted – ICPC chairman
President Tinubu had on July 7, mandated the ICPC to investigate the matter and submit its report within 30 days.
• State House Photo:The Chairman of the ICPC, Musa Adamu Aliyu, submit an interim report of its investigation on PFIPC, to President Bola Tinubu on Thursday, August 6,2026
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has urged the Federal Government to prosecute the Director -General of the fake Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew.
The Chairman of the ICPC, Musa Adamu Aliyu, made the call on Thursday when he submitted an interim report of its investigation into the controversy surrounding the existence of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) .
As part of the recommendations, the ICPC boss said Mr Adeyemi should be prosecuted, while administrative sanctions should be imposed on public officers “whose acts of omissions, negligence, facilitated the illegal operation of the council because our investigation found that some public officers failed to do due diligence.”
President Tinubu had on July 7, mandated the ICPC to investigate the matter and submit its report within 30 days.
Submitting the report, the ICPC chairman said that the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council “was never established by any law or executive order or other instrument of government, and the appointment letter presented by Adeyemi Matthew was completely forged alongside similar documents used to perpetuate the illegal activities of the fake agency.”
“What we discovered was that the office used by the fake agency was broken into. The lock was broken, and he had access to the office. That was how he was able to get inside that office, and also the false widespread impersonation and wide range of illegal activities were perpetrated by the fake DG or the fake agency, Adeyemi.”
He emphasised that public officers should also be sanctioned, because “They failed to adhere with the standard procedures that are supposed to be complied with in their ministries and departments, and that gave Adeyemi Matthew the opportunity to conduct this illegal act.
“Then institutional reform has also been recommended that there is need for institutional reform so that the internal control of the MDAs can be strengthened to block this kind of illegal activity.”
News
PSC hands over 50,000 newly recruited constables to police for training
Receiving the recruits on behalf of the Inspector-General of Police, DIG Isyaku Mohammed, who oversees the Force Training and Development Department, commended the commission for conducting what he described as a transparent recruitment exercise.
• IGP Tunji Disu
The Police Service Commission on Thursday formally handed over 50,000 newly recruited police constables to the Nigeria Police Force for training.
A statement issued on Thursday by the commission’s spokesperson, Torty Kalu, said the handover was presided over by retired Justice Paul Galumje, Commissioner I.
The statement said the recruitment exercise was conducted in line with the directive of President Bola Tinubu and relevant statutory provisions.
Galumje thanked the President for his support of the recruitment process and formally presented the successful candidates to the Nigeria Police Force for training at designated police colleges and other approved institutions.
He also handed over the detailed list of successful candidates, contained in a flash drive, to the police authorities.
Receiving the recruits on behalf of the Inspector-General of Police, DIG Isyaku Mohammed, who oversees the Force Training and Development Department, commended the commission for conducting what he described as a transparent recruitment exercise.
BREAKING: Lionel Messi Loses Father Jorge Messi at 68
ICPC: Adeyemi’s fake letter not from Presidency
BREAKING: DSS Arrests 3 More Fleeing Suspects Linked to Kidnap of Nasarawa Varsity Professor
Tech Expert, Zuckerberg trains with UFC champions, Adesanya, Alexander
Organ Trafficking: Ekweremadu bags 10 years in UK prison
SAINT OBI: Between his marriage and his death
-
Politics2 days agoAtiku Condemns Freezing Osun Govt’s Account On The Eve Of Election
-
Business2 days agoNaira Exchange Rates Thursday, August 5
-
Business2 days agoNDIC begins paying depositors of 46 closed microfinance banks
-
News2 days agoEx-finance minister Kemi Adeosun loses husband
-
Business2 days agoNAICOM Revokes Nigeria Reinsurance’s Licence, Freezes Operations Over Capital Shortfall
-
News2 days agoTremor Rocks Abuja, no casualties
-
News2 days agoBREAKING: Five Abducted Ogun Polytechnic Students Regain Freedom
-
Politics3 days agoOSUN ELECTION: Davido Calls for Peaceful, Violence-Free Elections