December 10, (THEWILL) – The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, sitting in Maitama Abuja, has struck out the bail application of Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, citing procedural errors in its filing.
Justice Maryanne Anenih had on November 27 ordered Bello and two other co-defendants to be remanded in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (pending a ruling on his bail application scheduled for December 10, after they pleaded not guilty to a 16-count charge of money laundering offences amounting to N110,446,470,89.00.
Ruling on Tuesday, Justice Anenih struck out the application on the ground that it was filed prematurely.
The application was filed on November 22 while the former governor was taken into custody by the anti-graft agency on November 26 and arraigned on November 27.
Holding that the action was against section 158 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 which states that a bail application can only be filed after arrest, arraignment, or during the hearing of a suit, Justice Anenih, declared the bail request invalid.
The two co-defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu were, however, granted N300 million bail each, with two sureties each “who shall have property in the Maitama District of the FCT, within the jurisdiction of the court.”
The court held that each surety must enter into a bond for not more than one defendant, while the defendants were directed to deposit their international passports with the Court Registrar.
While the case has been adjourned to January 29, 30 for hearing, Justice Anenih has ordered that Bello be remanded in the Kuje Correctional Centre
Bello alongside two other defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, is 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.
The former Kogi governor was declared wanted by the EFCC in April 2024.
THEWILL had exclusively reported that former Governor Bello had scheduled to meet with investigators at the Abuja headquarters of the anti-graft agency having exhausted all legal strategies to evade arrest and prosecution.
Bello formerly surrendered to the EFCC on November 27 and was subsequently detained to face his trial on a 16-count charge of conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, and possession of unlawfully obtained property.
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.
In a separate charge before the Federal High Court in Abuja, the EFCC had filed a 19-count charge of fraud to the tune of N80.2 billion.
Bello alongside his nephew, Ali Bello, and two others including Dauda Suleiman and Abdulsalam Hudu, were alleged to have engaged in money laundering, breach of trust, and misappropriation of public funds.
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