The Second Prosecution Witness, PW2, Yazid Bawa, in the trial-within-trial arising from the prosecution of Ali Bello, nephew of former Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello and Dauda Sulaiman on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, told the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, presided over by Justice James Omotosho, that contrary to the claim of the defendants, none of them was threatened with an electric chair anywhere at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before they made their statements.
Led in evidence by prosecution counsel and Director of Public Prosecution, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, the witness, an investigator with the EFCC, when asked to disclose who threatened the second defendant, Sulaiman in the EFCC with an electric chair before writing his statement, he said, “No one. In fact, I have never seen an electric chair before.”
He maintained that the statements of the defendants were voluntarily made and that no form of coercion or threat was applied on them.
Similarly, the third Prosecution Witness, PW3, in the sub-trial and Head of the EFCC team that investigated the case, Adamu Usman Yusuf, also denied the allegation of application of threats on the defendants, while they were brought in to make their statements in the Commission.
“This is surprising. If my Lord goes through the statements, he will see places where he (the second defendant) said that he would not comment or that he could not say anything.
“Throughout, Abbas (defence counsel) was present and one other lady. At lunch, they ate and then we continued,” he said.
When shown Exhibits TWT A and B and asked by the prosecuting counsel if the defendants were forced to write their statements, the PW3 answered in the negative. “No. And he signed the cautionary words,” he said.
On why the defendant was detained, the PW3 stated that it was because he failed to produce a surety.
Explaining why the statements were not audio-visually recorded, the witness stated that the statements were confessional and that the defendants’ counsel, Abbas, did not at any point complain of maltreatment of his clients.
Under cross-examination by counsel to the first defendant, A.M. Aliyu, SAN, who claimed that Ali Bello was told by EFCC officers that he would “rot in jail” if he did not state that the properties belonged to Yahaya Bello, the witness responded: “My lord, that is not true.”
Upon the conclusion of the cross-examination session by counsel to the second defendant, both defence counsel requested an adjournment till the following day to enable them open and close their defence.
Ali Bello, who is also the Chief of Staff to the Governor of Kogi State, Ahmed Usman Ododo and Sulaiman, are being prosecuted by the EFCC on an amended 16-count charge, bordering on misappropriation and money laundering to the tune of ₦10,270,556,800.00.
The trial-within-trial became necessary to determine the voluntariness of the extra-judicial statements made by the defendants, having claimed mid in the trial that the Commission obtained their statements under duress.
Justice Omotosho adjourned the matter till February 18, 2026, for the defence to open and close its case and for further continuation of hearing.
