The 14th prosecution witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the ongoing money laundering trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, told the court on Tuesday that a High Court judgment in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) nullified the refund of school fees made to the EFCC by the American International School, Abuja.
The witness, Nicholas Ojehomon, an internal auditor with the school, made this known while being cross-examined by defence lawyer Joseph Daudu, SAN. He read portions of a Certified True Copy (CTC) of a judgment in suit number FCT/HC/CV/2574/2023 involving Ali Bello and the school.
According to him, the court ruled that the school had no right to refund fees to the EFCC without following proper procedure or obtaining a valid court order.
The judgment stated that the American International School could not lawfully pay any money to the EFCC or any third party simply based on a refund request, except where such action was backed by agreement or a court directive.
The ruling also noted that any such refund made without due process would be considered a breach of the prepaid school fees agreement.
It further placed a permanent restriction on the school, stopping it from acting on refund requests or paying money to the EFCC or any other person unless directed by a competent court or through proper legal procedure.
After reading the judgment, Ojehomon agreed under questioning that the court decision meant the school should not have refunded the money to the EFCC without a court order.
“Yes,” he confirmed when asked if the action was wrong.
The witness also confirmed that Yahaya Bello’s name did not appear as a signatory on the prepaid school fees agreement, which was presented in court as Exhibit AX4.
He added that, based on his records as an internal auditor for about eight to nine years, no payment for the fees in question came directly from the former governor.
During earlier proceedings, Justice Maryann Anenih admitted the Certified True Copy of the judgment as evidence in the case.
The judge also dismissed an application challenging the court’s jurisdiction and adjourned the matter to May 8, 2026, for continuation of the trial.