The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned until May 8 to rule on the admissibility of a judgment by the Federal Capital Territory High Court in suit number FCT/HC/CV/2574/2023 involving Ali Bello and the Incorporated Trustees of the American International School.
Shortly after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission counsel, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), concluded the examination of the third prosecution witness an auditor with the American International School, Abuja, Nicholas Ojehomon, the defendant’s counsel, Joseph Daudu, SAN, sought to tender a document before proceeding with cross-examination.
The document in question purportedly addresses the payment or refund of school fees and relates to the ongoing trial of the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, who is facing an N80.2 billion fraud charge brought against him by the EFCC.
Ojehomon had earlier testified on Thursday that Mr Ali Bello contacted the American International School, Abuja, offering to pay the school fees of Yahaya Bello’s children until their graduation, which the school management accepted.
Pinheiro, however, objected, stating that the prosecution had not yet closed its case and citing Section 232 of the Evidence Act.
In response, Daudu argued that the admissibility of documents in criminal or civil cases is governed strictly by their relevance to the proceedings.
He referred to Sections 4, 5, and 6 of the Evidence Act, 2011, emphasising that once a document is deemed relevant, it becomes automatically admissible.
Daudu further contended that the document was relevant and admissible under Section 4 of the Evidence Act.
