Court Orders Probe into Evidence Tampering in Ali Bello’s N10bn Fraud Trial

Court Orders Probe into Evidence Tampering in Ali Bello’s N10bn Fraud Trial

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered a formal investigation into alleged evidence tampering by a court registrar in the ongoing N10 billion fraud trial of Ali Bello, the Chief of Staff to Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo. The directive follows revelations that critical WhatsApp messages were deleted from evidence submitted in the case, raising concerns about the integrity of the trial.

During Thursday’s proceedings, Justice James K. Omotosho revealed that the court registrar, Nasiru Onimisi Zubairu, admitted in court that co-defendant Daudu Sulaiman approached him and requested the deletion of certain WhatsApp chats from a mobile phone previously tendered as Exhibits N and O. The judge played the registrar’s confession in open court, emphasizing the need to uphold judicial transparency and integrity.

READ ALSO:

• Former University Vice Chancellor Arraigned for N19.7 Million Fraud in Katsina
• Ronaldo Cannot Influence Saudi Pro League Decisions Outside Al-Nassr
• UK Ordered to Pay £420 Million to Families of 1949 Enugu Massacre Victims

According to Zubairu, Sulaiman allegedly offered to assist him with accommodation challenges in exchange for deleting the messages. While the registrar could not recall the exact chats he deleted, he admitted opening two conversations on the device.

EFCC investigating officer Muhammed Audu Abubakar confirmed that multiple messages spanning 2020 to 2022 were missing, including entries referencing large sums of money such as ₦100 million, ₦60 million, and ₦50 million, which could be material to the ongoing investigation.

Prosecution counsel, Director of Public Prosecutions Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, urged the court to order a forensic examination of the deleted evidence and consider reviewing the bail conditions of the second defendant, citing the deletions as a threat to the fairness and credibility of the trial.

Defense lawyers expressed shock but requested the court await the results of the forensic investigation before taking further action. In response, Justice Omotosho directed both the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Department of State Services (DSS) to investigate the alleged evidence tampering and report back to the court. The trial was subsequently adjourned to February 9, 2026, for continuation.

The case against Ali Bello and co-defendant Daudu Sulaiman, initiated in 2022, involves allegations of misappropriation and money laundering of approximately ₦10.2 billion from Kogi State Government funds. The EFCC alleges the funds were diverted for personal use, making it one of the largest ongoing corruption trials involving state government officials.

The probe into the registrar underscores the judiciary’s commitment to ensuring transparency, accountability, and integrity in high-profile corruption trials in Nigeria.

Court Orders Probe into Evidence Tampering in Ali Bello’s N10bn Fraud Trial