N110bn Fraud: Court Grants Former Kogi Gov. Yahaya Bello N500m Bail

The federal high court in Abuja has granted bail to Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi state, in the sum of N500 million and two sureties in like sum. The sureties must have property in Abuja and swear to an affidavit of means.

Justice Emeka Nwite also ordered that Bello be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre pending the perfection of his bail conditions.

On Wednesday, Bello pleaded not guilty to charges of N80 billion fraud levelled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The arraignment occurred before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja, where Bello faces a 19-count charge of alleged money laundering.

The charges stem from allegations of misappropriating public funds and using state resources for personal expenditures.

At the hearing, EFCC counsel Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, informed the court that the agency had decided to withdraw an earlier application to expedite the arraignment date, stating that events had overtaken the request. The defence counsel, Joseph Daudu, SAN, did not oppose the motion, and Justice Nwite struck out the application.

After unsuccessful attempts to bring him in for questioning, the EFCC had previously declared Bello wanted in April.

According to the anti-graft agency, the case centres on the alleged diversion of public funds while Bello served as governor.

A video shared by Channels TV in April shows a chaotic scene, with gunshots fired severally, with the anti-graft agency trying to arrest the former governor. However, the current Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Ododo, helped whisk Bello away from the scene before he could be arrested.

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