Justice A. R. Mohammed of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has adjourned the trial of former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Haliru Bello and his son, Bello Abba Mohammed to February 21, 2019 for continuation of trial.
The former PDP Chairman with his son Bello Abba Mohammed and their company, Bam Projects And Properties Limited are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for allegedly receiving the sum of N300 million from the office of the former National Security Adviser (NSA) Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.).
The accused persons, through their firm, received the sum of N300million from an account of the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, operated with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.
The fund was said to have been transferred to the accused persons, 11 days to the 2015 presidential election, on the order of the former National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki, rtd.
When the matter came up for trial today, December 13, 2018, the Prosecution counsel, O. A. Atolagbe informed the court that “we are having some challenges in bringing our witnesses before the court and in the circumstance we asked for an adjournment to bring the witness at the next adjourned date”.
The Judge adjourned the trial to February 21, 2019 for continuation of trial.
One of the charges against them read: “That you, Bello Abba Mohammed, BAM Projects and Properties Ltd and Dr. Haliru Bello on or about 17th March 2015 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, took possession of the sum of N300million paid into the account of BAM Projects and Properties Limited with Sterling Bank Plc from the account of the Office of the National Security Adviser with the CBN when you reasonably ought to have known that the said fund formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity of Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki(rtd), the then National Security Adviser (to wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section (15) (3) of the same Act”.
