Yahaya Bello of Kogi
Yahaya Bello denied bail, remanded in Abuja prison
A Federal High Court in Abuja declined to grant bail to Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, in his money laundering case involving over N100 billion.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned the former Kogi State governor over money laundering charges after many failed attempts to arrest him.
The presiding judge, Justice Maryanne Anenih, of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, said records showed that Bello was arraigned on November 27 after authorities took him to custody on November 26 and that his bail application was filed on November 22, several days before he was taken into custody.
Consequently, Anenih ruled that since Bello’s bail application was filed when he was neither in custody nor in court, his instant application for the bail could not stand.
According to the judge, “The instant application for bail showed that it was filed on the 22nd of November. This shows that it was filed several days after the 1st defendant was taken into custody.”
However, Bello’s counsel, J. B. Daudu, had
argued that he had presented enough proof to grant the bail.
He said, “Before the court is a motion on notice, dated and filed on 22nd November. The 1st defendant seeks an order of this honourable court admitting him to bail pending the hearing and determination of the charge.
“That he became aware of the instant charge through the public summons. That he is a two-term governor of Kogi State. That if released on bail, he would not interfere with the witnesses and not jump bail.”
The Eric’s lawyer, Kemi Pinheiro, also argued that Bello’s instant application for bail was outrightly incompetent as it was filed before arraignment.
But the judge granted Umar Oricha, the second defendant in the case, a bail of N300 million with two sureties.
According to the bail condition, the sureties must be property owners in Maitama valued not less than the bond sum and that the original title document of the property must be submitted in court.
Also, the sureties must depose to an affidavit of means, and copies of their passport be deposited.
Oricha must also deposit his travel documents and be remanded in prison custody until he fulfils the bail conditions.