Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja has threatened to return the high-profile fraud case involving Ali Bello, Chief of Staff to the Kogi State Government, to the Chief Judge for reassignment, citing concerns over alleged misleading media reports published by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The warning came on Monday during resumed trial proceedings, following an objection raised by Bello’s lead counsel, Abubakar Aliyu, SAN. The senior lawyer accused the EFCC of publishing a “false and prejudicial” report on its official website and circulating it on social media, thereby subjecting his client to public trial and mob judgment.
“The prosecutor is subjecting my client to mob justice by making publications that are untrue,” Aliyu said, stressing that the publication misrepresented the court’s proceedings and could damage the integrity of the ongoing trial.
At the heart of the controversy is a 10-count fraud charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/550/2022, in which Bello and co-defendant Dauda Sulaiman are accused of diverting public funds. The EFCC had claimed in its report that Bello paid for a property at Ikogosi Close, Maitama, but later returned the documents upon learning it was under investigation—a claim Aliyu strongly denied.
“My client never bought the property,” the defense counsel asserted.
EFCC’s prosecuting lawyer, Abbas Muhammed, acknowledged seeing the online publication but stated he was unable to confirm its authenticity. “I have to verify with the media team,” he said.
Visibly irked by the development, Justice Omotosho condemned the dissemination of inaccurate court reports, warning that such acts could erode public confidence in the judicial system.
“It is not only against the defendant but also against the court,” the judge said. “Writing fictitious stories about court proceedings might make the public lose confidence in the court. You create a wrong impression in the society. This is annoying.”
He cited similar incidents, including recent cases involving political tensions in Rivers State, where social media misreporting distorted judicial decisions.
“Let us stop this because it affects the integrity of the system,” he warned, urging all parties to ensure accurate and responsible reporting of court activities.
Meanwhile, the prosecution presented its 11th witness, Segun Adeleke, General Manager of EFAB Properties Ltd., who testified that a man named Shehu Bello paid the dollar equivalent of N500 million in cash for a Maitama property.
Under cross-examination, Adeleke clarified that neither Ali Bello nor Dauda Sulaiman was the individual who made the payment.
Justice Omotosho adjourned the case to May 7 and May 9 for continuation of trial.
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