A Federal High Court in Abuja, yesterday, ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) lawyer, Abbas Mohammed, to confirm and report back if an alleged misleading report on the court’s proceedings was from its website.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu gave the order after the defence lawyers in the money laundering trial of Ali Bello and his co-defendants accused the EFCC of publishing ‘untrue’ accounts of what transpired in court on Tuesday on its website.

Abubakar Aliyu (SAN) and Nureini Jimoh (SAN), who appeared for the defendants in the alleged N3 billion fraud, had informed Justice Egwuatu about the development shortly after the matter was called.

They complained that a report on the proceedings of Tuesday posted on the website of the EFCC and social media contradicted what transpired in court, adding that this was not the first time such would happen.

According to the lawyers, the witness (PW-3), who was cross-examined, said that he never said the money used in the payment of school fees of the children of the former governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, came from the Kogi State government.

At the resumed hearing yesterday, Jimoh, who appeared for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants, had informed the court that though the matter was slated for continuation of hearing, he had a preliminary application to make.

He said his application hinged on the prosecution’s publication.
The senior lawyer alleged that there had been incessant and unfair publications by the EFCC against the defendants, which might negatively affect public confidence in the administration of justice.

“We have kept quiet severally when these publications were coming from the EFCC to allow the trial to proceed,” he said.

Jimoh insisted that the “misleading publications” were meant to incite the public against the decision of the court in the trial.

The lawyer said such publications, which were contrary to what transpired in court, could grossly affect the proceedings and public confidence in the justice system.
Jimoh also urged the court to suspend proceedings pending when the EFCC complied with the directive.

He said this was to ensure the sanctity of the administration of justice in obedience to the statutory laws.

He then gave a copy of the printout of the publication from the commission’s website to the EFCC’s lawyer, Mohammed.

Corroborating Jimoh’s submission, Aliyu, who represented Bello (1st defendant), drew the attention of the court to a ruling of the Supreme Court in Atiku Abubakar Vs INEC and others.

The attorney said the apex court cautioned lawyers against engaging in social media reports to divert the attention of the public from what transpired in court.

Responding, the EFCC’s lawyer said though he had seen the printed publication, he could not verify its source for now.

“Confirm for clarity sake whether it is from your website,” the judge said.

“I will need to confirm from the media team my lord,” he responded.

Justice Egwuatu, in a short ruling, ordered the prosecution lawyer to confirm the publication and report back on the next adjourned date.

Meanwhile, the trial continued with Aliyu’s cross-examination of PW-3, Jamilu Abdullahi, a Bureau de Change operator.

When Aliyu asked the witness if Mohammed Idris was the person who brought the $300,000 to him, the witness said he could not remember who brought the money.

Again, when the lawyer asked the PW-3 if he would be surprised that the N2.1 billion paid into the 2nd defendant’s account on December 14, 2021, from which the school fees were paid, was a loan from Access Bank, the witness said he did not know the source of the money.

The judge thereafter adjourned the matter to November 28 for the continuation of the hearing.