A Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected the bail application of Kogi State’s former governor, Yahaya Bello, over his alleged ₦110 billion money laundering charges.
The court ruled that the former governor’s bail application was filed wrongly and cannot be granted.
It stated that rather than Bello filing for bail application after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) detained him, the former governor had requested bail before responding to the summon over the allegations hanging around his administration in Kogi State.
According to the court, the application was submitted on November 22, while Bello was detained by the anti-graft agency on November 26 and arraigned on November 27.
In response to the judge’s ruling, Jacob Daudu (SAN), representing Bello, urged the court to consider the bail application, asserting that his client, a former two-term governor of Kogi State, would not interfere with witnesses or flee.
Daudu further stated that Bello became aware of the charges through public summons and would comply with the court’s conditions.
In contrast, EFCC lawyer Kemi Pinheiro (SAN) argued that the application was flawed, having been filed before the arraignment, in violation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, and should be dismissed.
Meanwhile, another defendant, Umar Oricha, who faces money laundering charges alongside Bello, was granted bail in the amount of N30 million under specific conditions.
The court required that Oricha provide sureties with properties in Abuja’s Maitama district worth at least the bail sum and submit the original title documents.
The sureties, according to the court, must also submit affidavits of means and copies of their international passports.
Oricha was also instructed to deposit his travel documents with the court and remain in custody until the bail conditions are met.
