The Federal High Court in Abuja has accepted a key document in the money laundering trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello. This decision came after the court dismissed an objection raised by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Emeka Nwite, who presided over the case, ruled that the EFCC’s objection was premature. He stated that a document’s relevance and its compliance with the Evidence Act determine whether it is admissible in court.
The document in question is a certified true copy of a previous judgment by the FCT High Court. It relates to a case between Ali Bello and the American International School (AISA).
The EFCC had raised its objection during the cross-examination of Nicholas Ojehomon. He is the third prosecution witness and an internal auditor at AISA. However, Bello’s lawyer, Joseph Daudu (SAN), argued that the document followed all legal requirements. He also stressed that it was clearly relevant to the current trial.
In his ruling, Justice Nwite pointed out that modern courts aim for substantial justice rather than rigid legal rules. Therefore, he admitted the document as Exhibit 19 and dismissed the EFCC’s objection.
