Bello’s saga: CUPP calls for sack of EFCC boss 

Money laundering trial of Ali Bello, co-defendants adjourned till Sept 26
The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to sack the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, saying that the anti-graft agency is “grossly incompetent” under him.

In a statement yesterday, the coalition said there was no excuse for the anti-graft agency to commit those two errors of judgment on the day former Governor OF Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, reportedly submitted himself to the Commission.

The statement was signed on behalf of the coalition by 10 members of its Media, Strategy, Steering, Financial Contact and Mobilisation Committees and made available to newsmen yesterday in Abuja.

The CUPP’s statement reads: “It is with utmost disappointment that the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has viewed the ongoing drama between the EFCC and Bello.

“We are aware that there has been some inexplicable back-and-forth between the EFCC and the former governor for some months now, which has generated considerable public interest across Nigeria. Not a few Nigerians have been eager to see the day that the Yahaya Belo would be brought in to defend corruption allegations levelled against him by the anti-graft agency.

“The Commission went all out to declare him wanted and put him on an international watchlist with the assistance of the INTERPOL that anywhere he was found he was to be promptly arrested.

“It is quite intriguing that the same man you have been hunting for walked into your headquarters in Abuja and you let him walk away without even interrogating him under the pretext of some extremely ridiculous and flimsy excuses, one of which was that he came with a sitting governor among others.”

MEANWHILE, the EFCC, yesterday, continued the prosecution of Ali Bello and others over an alleged money laundering charge before Justice Obiora Egwuatu of a Federal High Court in Abuja.

It will be recalled that the EFCC, in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/573/2022, is prosecuting Bello and three others for an alleged N3 billion fraud.

While Bello is the 1st Defendant, Yakubu Siyaka Adabenege, Abba Adaudu, and Iyadi Sadat are the 2nd to 4th Defendants, respectively.

At the resumed trial, the EFCC’s lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, led the 3rd prosecution witness (PW-3), an Abuja-based Bureau De Change (BDC) operator, Jamilu Abdullahi, in evidence concerning the alleged offence.

PW-3 in his oral evidence, told the court that he is the owner of the company, E-Traders International Limited.

Abdullahi explained how the 2nd Defendant in the charge, Abba Adaudu (a businessman) deposited cash and made electronic transfers into his company’s Access Bank account and personal account.

Giving the breakdown, he confirmed the receipt of several cash and electronic deposits paid into his accounts by Daudu.

All the said payments were made between 2021 and 2022. The prosecution counsel asked for an adjournment to continue PW3’s examination in chief tomorrow, Thursday, September 26, 2024.

Justice Egwuatu adjourned the matter until September 26 to continue the trial.