Bello gave evidence yesterday at the resumed hearing in a criminal charge preferred against the National Co-ordinator of Police Equipment Foundation (PEF), Chief Kenny Martins and his Deputy, Mr Ibrahim Dumuje.

Martins and Dumuje were arraigned before the court on a three-count charge of criminal breach of public trust and mismanagement of about N7.740 billion belonging to the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) fund.

They were arraigned alongside, former Permanent Secretary in the Police Ministry, Yaro Gella.
Gela was appointed a signatory to the PEF account to protect public interest. He allegedly continued as a signatory even after leaving office.

Of the N7.740 billion, they were accused of dishonestly converting about N59 million to private use and unlawful retention of another N774 million for personal use in violation of an agreement with ALGON and the Federal Government, punishable under Section 312 of the Penal Code CAP 532 law of the Federation of Nigeria.

Abdullahi Bello who gave evidence in the matter yesterday was a detective with the anti-graft agency before he joined a private organization.

He was part of a team that investigated the activities of the fund. He was the head of transaction unit saddled to cross-examine accused persons. He said he was in court to testify because he was one who recorded the accused person’s statement.

In his evidence-in-chief by the EFCC counsel, Chile Okoroma, Bello admitted that the investigation was premised on a petition they received from the Integrity International of Nigeria and from the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Sa’ad.

The defence counsel, Mike Ozekhome sought to tender the petition as exhibit but the prosecution counsel, Okoroma objected.

He said it was a public document, which has to be certified before it could be tendered as exhibit.
Ozekhome countered his objection.

He said the objection was grossly misplaced because it contravened Section 109 of the Evidence Act.
“The witness identified the document and suddenly the prosecution turned round and is now scared of his own document. This is ridiculous”, he added. He urged the court to admit the petition in evidence.

When cross examined by Ozekhome on the alleged stolen  N50 billion fund by Martins and others, the witness replied “ I did not see any N100 billion or N50 billion of PEF money missing or stolen by Kenny Martins and others”.

The witness also revealed that he did not take any statement from the Sultan and would not know if any member of the investigation team took any written statement from the integrity group.

He also told the court that he did not see any member of the group that wrote the petition neither did he interview any of them.

The matter was adjourned till January 26.

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