Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that extra-judicial statements made by Ali Bello and Dauda Sulaiman were given voluntarily and are admissible in evidence.
The ruling, delivered on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, marks a key development in the ongoing prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Ali Bello, a nephew of former Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello, is being tried alongside Sulaiman on a 16-count amended charge bordering on alleged misappropriation and money laundering amounting to ₦10.27 billion.
The court had earlier conducted a trial-within-trial to determine whether the statements obtained during investigation were made under duress. The defendants had opposed their admissibility, alleging threats and coercion by investigators.
However, Justice Omotosho held that evidence before the court showed that the defendants’ legal counsel were present when the statements were taken. He noted that the investigative team allowed counsel to witness and endorse the statements as voluntary.
According to the judge, this process complied with Sections 15(4) and 17(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
“It is clear that the defendants had their counsel present during the taking of both statements,” he said, adding that the endorsements confirmed the statements were confessional and voluntary.
The court subsequently admitted the first defendant’s statements, previously marked as Exhibits TWA–TWA5, as Exhibits R2–R5 in the main trial. The second defendant’s statements, marked as Exhibits TWB and TWB1, were also admitted as Exhibits S and SW1.
Following the ruling, the court adjourned proceedings to April 21 and 24, 2026, for the prosecution to close its case.
