Yahaya Bello: No court order mandates America Intl School to refund school fees to EFCC – Witness

The 14th witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the ongoing alleged money laundering trial of the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, confirmed on Tuesday that a Federal Capital Territory High Court judgment voided the refund of school fees paid to the American International School by Yahaya Bello for his children to the EFCC.

While being cross-examined by the Defendant’s Counsel, Joseph Daudu, SAN, Nicholas Ojehomon, an Internal Auditor with the American International School, Abuja, read out the part of the judgment, which indicated that the American school erred by refunding the school fees in contention to the EFCC.

The court had said that the school could not unilaterally grant the request for refund by a third party – the EFCC – except in accordance with the agreement or upon a court order.

The witness was told to read out part of the Certified True Copy of the judgment in the suit no FCT/HC/CV/2574/2023, filed by Ali Bello against AISA.

He quoted the judgment as saying, “It is hereby declared that the Defendant CANNOT LAWFULLY and unilaterally grant the ‘request for refund’ and pay over to a third party, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, or anyone howsoever described, the sum of $760,910.84 or any other sum paid pursuant to the ‘Agreement for Prepaid School Fees except in accordance with the said agreement or upon an order of court.

“It is hereby declared that any refund/payment of the sum of $760,910.84 or any other sum made to a third party, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission or any other person, however described, pursuant to any request for refund, or howsoever described, without regards to due process or agreement of the Claimant is in breach of the Agreement for Prepaid School Fees.”

The court, according to the CTC read out by the EFCC witness, also gave “an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Defendant whether by itself, its trustees, members of staff, agents, privies, representatives and or any person howsoever described, from giving effect to any request for refund and/or paying over the sum of $760,910.84 or any other sum paid pursuant to the Agreement, to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission or anybody or account, howsoever described, except as ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction or with recourse to the due process of law”.

After reading out the portions required, the witness admitted that the judgment implied that the school was wrong to have refunded the said fees to the EFCC without a court order.

“The third relief you read says you were wrong in refunding money to the EFCC,” the defendant’s counsel said.

“Yes,” the witness responded.

The witness was also shown the agreement for the prepaid school fees, marked Exhibit AX4, and he confirmed that Yahaya Bello was not a signatory.

Ojehomon, who said he had worked as an internal auditor for AISA for about eight to nine years, added that no payment originated from the former governor.

The court had, during the examination-in-chief of the witness admitted the CTC of the judgement with suit No FCT/HC/CV/2574/2023 between Ali Bello and American International School, Abuja, as Exhibit AO.

Justice Maryann Anenih, thereafter, stepped down an application challenging the jurisdiction of the Court for ruling and adjourned sitting to May 8, .2026 for continuation of trial.