Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja has threatened to return the case file involving Ali Bello, Chief of Staff to the Kogi State Government, to the Chief Judge for reassignment.
As reported by NAN, this followed a complaint from Bello’s legal team over an alleged misleading report published by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) regarding court proceedings.
Bello’s counsel, Abubakar Aliyu, SAN, raised concerns on Monday about a report published on the EFCC’s official website, which he claimed misrepresented events from a previous court sitting.
According to him, the report suggested that Bello had purchased a property at Ikogosi Close in Abuja and later returned the documents upon discovering the property was under EFCC investigation—an allegation he said was false.
Aliyu argued that such a publication amounted to subjecting his client to “mob justice,” and had been widely circulated across social media platforms.
He presented a printed copy of the article to the court and noted that the EFCC’s counsel had also been served a copy.
Justice Omotosho, visibly displeased by the development, cautioned that continued misinformation could jeopardize the integrity of the court and potentially influence public perception of the ongoing case.
“If this kind of reporting continues, I will not hesitate to return the case file to the Chief Judge for reassignment,” the judge warned.
“This is not just about the defendant; it affects the court’s integrity.”
He added that publishing inaccurate accounts of court proceedings could mislead the public and erode trust in the judicial process.
EFCC counsel, Abbas Muhammed, acknowledged seeing the publication but said he could not confirm its authenticity at the moment.
He requested time to verify the report with the commission’s media team, which the court granted.
Justice Omotosho also referenced a similar situation involving media misinterpretation of a recent court ruling in Rivers State, where online narratives contradicted actual court proceedings, leading to public criticism of the judiciary.
Emphasizing the importance of accurate reporting, the judge reiterated the role of the media in maintaining public confidence in the justice system.
Meanwhile, the trial continued with the EFCC calling its 11th prosecution witness, Segun Adeleke, the General Manager of EFAB Properties Ltd.
Adeleke testified that in 2020, he was instructed by his chairman, Chief Fabian Nwora, to meet with a man identified as Shehu Bello concerning a property transaction in Maitama, Abuja.
According to the witness, Shehu Bello paid the dollar equivalent of N500 million in cash for the property located at No. 1, Ikogosi Spring Close.
However, during cross-examination, Adeleke confirmed that Ali Bello, the first defendant, was not the same person as Shehu Bello. The second defendant, Dauda Sulaiman, was also ruled out as being Shehu Bello.
Following the witness testimony, the judge adjourned the case until May 7 and 9 for further proceedings.
