Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court has adjourned the money laundering trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, to April 24, 2026. The pause in proceedings follows a legal deadlock over whether the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) can re-present a witness's prior statement to the court. 

The Legal Dispute: Memory Refreshment vs. Hostile Witness

The adjournment was prompted by a heated exchange between the prosecution and defense regarding the testimony of the 12th prosecution witness, Abdullahi Jamilu, owner of Kumfayakum Global Limited.

The prosecution lead, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, sought to confront Jamilu with an earlier statement (already admitted as Exhibit 46). Pinheiro argued that because the transactions occurred in 2022, the witness required the document to "refresh his memory" under Section 239 of the Evidence Act.

However, the defense lead, Joseph Daudu, SAN, raised a stiff objection. Daudu contended that:

• The prosecution was attempting to contradict Jamilu's oral evidence without following due process.

• Under the Evidence Act and Supreme Court precedent (Ibe v. State), the prosecution must first obtain the court's leave to declare a witness "hostile" before attempting to impeach or contradict their testimony with prior statements.

• The witness had already clearly stated he delivered converted funds only to designated offices in Abuja.

Highlights of the Witness Testimony

Before the procedural dispute, Jamilu provided details regarding several high-value transactions linked to the case:

• Fund Conversion: The witness acknowledged receiving multiple inflows into his company’s account, including N100 million and N400 million in December 2021 from Keyless Nature Limited, and further inflows in February 2022 from Ejadams Essence Limited.

• The "Abba Adaudu" Link: Jamilu identified these companies as belonging to an individual named Abba Adaudu. He testified that he converted these funds into US Dollars and delivered them according to Adaudu’s instructions.

• Bank Deposits: While Jamilu's name appeared in transaction narrations for cash deposits at an Access Bank branch in Lokoja, he denied making the deposits himself, attributing them instead to Adaudu.

Next Steps

Justice Nwite’s upcoming ruling on April 24, 2026, will determine whether the EFCC can lawfully use the prior statement to continue its examination or if it must formally declare the witness hostile to proceed.

The trial continues to draw significant attention as the court weighs the procedural integrity of the Evidence Act against the prosecution's efforts to clarify the flow of converted funds.