Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The high-profile trial of Ali Bello, Chief of Staff to Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo, over an alleged N10.27 billion fraud suffered a fresh delay at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday after his newly engaged counsel, Ahmed Raji, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), requested an adjournment to study the case file.
The adjournment, granted in the interest of fair hearing over the objection of the prosecution, further prolongs a case that has already been stalled multiple times since the defendants were first arraigned. Bello, who is also a nephew of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, is standing trial alongside Dauda Sulaiman on a 16-count amended charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) bordering on alleged misappropriation and money laundering.
At the resumed hearing before Justice James Omotosho, proceedings were halted shortly after they began when Raji announced his appearance for the first defendant and sought time to familiarise himself with the matter. “My Lord, I was only briefed yesterday. I will need time to go through the processes and properly prepare for the defence,” the Senior Advocate told the court. He added that the prosecution had been duly notified of the development and requested an adjournment to enable adequate preparation. However, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, also a SAN, opposed the oral application, arguing that due process had not been followed regarding the introduction of new counsel.
Oyedepo contended that the existing defence counsel, A.M. Aliyu, SAN, ought to have formally notified the court of any change or addition to the defence team in line with the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.
He specifically cited Sections 46, 47, and 49 of the Act, which prescribe that notice of change in legal representation must be filed at least three days before a scheduled hearing. “My lord, I can confirm that he spoke to me this morning and I told my learned brother that I don’t have the power to do anything about that. A.M. Aliyu should have made an application, but he is yet to do so,” Oyedepo argued. “The law says not less than three days before the date fixed for hearing. I urge your lordship not to concede to the request for adjournment on account of a speculative application that is yet to be filed.”
Despite the forceful objection, Justice Omotosho granted the defence application, holding that the right to fair hearing must take precedence over procedural strictness. The matter was subsequently adjourned to May 5 and 6, 2026, for continuation of trial. The adjournment is the latest in a series of delays that have stalled the progress of a case that has drawn significant public attention given the political connections of the defendants. Ali Bello, who serves as Chief of Staff to Governor Ododo, is a prominent figure in Kogi State’s political establishment, and his uncle, Yahaya Bello, remains a influential voice in the All Progressives Congress (APC). The case was originally filed under suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/696/2022, and the EFCC alleges that the defendants participated in a sophisticated scheme involving the diversion of public funds through multiple accounts and entities.
The anti-graft agency has accused the defendants of laundering approximately N10,270,556,800 (Ten Billion, Two Hundred and Seventy Million, Five Hundred and Fifty-six Thousand, Eight Hundred Naira) through various financial channels. According to the EFCC, the funds, which were proceeds of unlawful activities, were diverted from the Kogi State government and concealed through a bureau de change operator in Abuja. Previous hearings indicated that the prosecution was prepared to call witnesses and tender documentary evidence tracing the alleged flow of illicit funds. The EFCC has also alleged that the defendants engaged in a series of financial transactions aimed at concealing the origin and movement of the stolen funds.
During earlier proceedings, the court had dismissed an objection raised by Ali Bello to the admissibility of extrajudicial statements made by the defendants, clearing the way for the EFCC to present crucial evidence. However, repeated adjournments, including those related to the cross-examination of prosecution witnesses and the change of defence counsel, have continued to slow the momentum of the trial. The case has also seen the EFCC deny allegations that its operatives threatened the defendants with an electric chair to coerce confessions, a claim that was raised during cross-examination and subsequently dismissed by the agency.
The adjournment has drawn mixed reactions from legal observers and civil society groups, some of whom have expressed frustration over the slow pace of judicial proceedings in high-profile corruption cases. The Anti-Corruption Network of Nigeria issued a statement calling on the judiciary to adopt stricter case management practices to prevent unnecessary delays. “While the right to fair hearing must be protected, it cannot be allowed to become a tool for perpetual adjournment. The defendants have had ample time to prepare, and the repeated delays are eroding public confidence in the judicial process,” the group said. Others, however, have defended the court’s decision, noting that the right to choose and change legal representation is fundamental to fair hearing.
For now, the trial of Ali Bello and Dauda Sulaiman remains stuck in a procedural loop. The new defence counsel, Ahmed Raji, has until May 5 to study the voluminous case file and mount a defence. The prosecution, led by Rotimi Oyedepo, will likely renew its push for an accelerated hearing when proceedings resume. With the political stakes high and public scrutiny intense, the coming months will determine whether the court can finally move beyond procedural hurdles to examine the substance of the allegations. For the people of Kogi State, who have endured years of controversy over the management of state funds, the trial represents a test of Nigeria’s ability to hold powerful individuals accountable. The adjournment to May means that verdict remains as distant as ever.
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