BREAKING: Yahaya Bello Sent To Kuje Prison As Co-Defendants Get N600m Bail
2 years ago 2 min read
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The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Maitama, has remanded the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, in Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja, over an alleged N110bn money laundering case brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Maryann Anenih, in a ruling on Tuesday, dismissed his bail application because it was filed prematurely.
According to the judge, the case was filed when the defendant was neither in custody nor before the court.
“Consequently, the instant application having been filed prematurely is hereby refused,” she said.
The Court, however, granted his co-defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, N300m bail each with two sureties in like sum, one of which must be a land owner within the jurisdiction of the court.
The court ordered that the sureties must provide relevant verifiable documents to the court registry.
Bello was first arraigned on November 27 alongside his co-defendants, Oricha and Hudu, following his arrest by the EFCC on November 26 on a 16-count charge related to money laundering, fraud, and misappropriation of funds during his tenure.
However, Bello and his co-defendants pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Justice Anenih ordered that Bello be remanded in the Kuje Correctional Centre and adjourned till January 29 for the commencement of trial, pending when his lawyers file a fresh bail application.
