December 19, (THEWILL) – The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, sitting in Maitama, Abuja, has granted a N500m bail to former Kogi governor, Yahaya Bello.
Justice Maryanne Anenih had on November 27, ordered the former governor and two other co-defendants to be remanded in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), pending ruling on his bail application scheduled for December 10, after the pleaded not guilty to a 16-count charge of money laundering offences amounting to N110,446,470,89.00.
The court had on December 10, ordered Bello be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre, after his bail application was struck out over procedural errors in its filing. The two co-defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, were however, granted N300 million bail each.
When the case was called for hearing on Thursday, Bello’s counsel, Joseph Daudu SAN, informed the court that discussions had taken place with the leader of the prosecution counsels, resulting in an agreement to ensure a speedy trial. He prayed the court to graciously grant the Defendant bail.
The prosecution counsel, Olukayode Enitan, SAN, acknowledged that Daudu had been in talks with the prosecution team.
“I confirm the evidence given by the distinguished member of the bar that is leading the Defence, J.B. Daudu, SAN, that he has been in conversation with the leader of the prosecuting team.
“As with the legal tradition that we should cooperate with members of the bar when it does not affect the course of justice, we have decided not to make this contentious, bearing in mind that no matter how industrious the defence counsel might be in pushing forward the application for bail and no matter how vociferous the prosecution counsel can argue against the bail application, your lordship is bound by your discretion to grant or not to grant the application. We are therefore leaving this to your lordship’s discretion”, the prosecuting counsel replied.
Delivering her ruling, Justice Anenih, who held that the charges against Bello were bailable, consequently granted the ex-governor bail in the sum of N500 million, with three sureties in like sum.
The sureties must be notable Nigerians with landed property in Maitama, Jabi, Utako, Apo, Guzape, Garki and Asokoro.
Bello was also asked to deposit his international passport and other travel documents with the court. He is to remain at Kuje Correctional Centre until the bail conditions are met.
THEWILL recalls that Bello was earlier granted N500 million bail by the Federal High Court in Abuja following his arraignment by EFCC over alleged N80 billion fraud.
Former governor Bello alongside two other defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, are facing a 16- count charge of money laundering offences amounting to N110,446,470,89.00. He had gone underground since a failed attempt by the EFCC to arrest him at his residence in Abuja in April.
Marked: CR/7781, the charges alleged that the former governor misused state funds to acquire properties, including No. 35 Danube Street, Maitama District, Abuja (N950 million), No. 1160 Cadastral Zone C03, Gwarimpa II District, Abuja (N100 million), and No. 2 Justice Chukwudifu Oputa Street, Asokoro, Abuja (N920 million).
Other properties the defendants allegedly acquired with funds stolen from the Kogi state treasury, included Block D Manzini Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N170 million), Hotel Apartment Community: Burj Khalifa, Dubai (Five Million, Six Hundred and Ninety-Eight Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty-Eight Dirhams), Block 18, Gwelo Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N60 million) and No. 9 Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N310.4 million).
He is also accused of transferring $570,330 and $556,265 to TD Bank, USA and possessing unlawfully obtained property, including N677.8 million from Bespoque Business Solution Limited.
He had pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
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