**Bureau De Change Operator Implicates Dauda Suleiman in N10 Billion Money Laundering Case**
In a significant development in the ongoing trial of Ali Bello and Dauda Suleiman, accused of laundering N10 billion, a key witness testified against Suleiman at the Federal High Court, Abuja. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting the case before Justice James Omotosho.
Rabiu Musa Tafada, a Bureau De Change Operator and the prosecution’s third witness (PW3), revealed on Tuesday, February 6, 2024, that Suleiman frequently engaged in transactions at his business, Rabiu Tafada Global Ventures, located in Wuse zone 4, Abuja. Tafada described Suleiman as a regular client who engaged in buying, borrowing, or selling dollars.
During the court session, Tafada recounted an EFCC visit to his office in 2023, during which certain documents were seized, including a hard copy notebook and an exercise book. These items were later presented in court as evidence, despite objections from the defence counsel, Nureini Jimoh, SAN, regarding the admissibility of some loose sheets found among the documents. Justice Omotosho overruled the objections, allowing the documents to be admitted as evidence (Exhibit F & G).
Further examination of the exhibits by prosecution counsel Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, led Tafada to disclose transactions recorded on behalf of Suleiman. Although Tafada admitted he did not personally record the transactions due to his inability to write, he confirmed his staff did so under his direction. He detailed specific transactions involving substantial sums of money, underscoring Suleiman’s frequent interactions with his bureau de change.
The prosecution also highlighted an amended charge filed before the court, to which the defense responded with a counter-affidavit. Following the testimonies, Justice Omotosho adjourned the trial to February 13, 2024, for further proceedings.
This case marks a critical point in the EFCC’s efforts to combat financial crimes in Nigeria. For more updates on this trial and other cases, visit [www.efcc.gov.ng](http://www.efcc.gov.ng).
