The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, N500 million bail after pleading not guilty to the alleged ₦80 billion money laundering charge leveled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Aside from that, it ruled that the former governor must produce two sureties in like sum and that they must swear to an affidavit of means and must be owners of Properties in Abuja.
Presiding over the court proceedings on Friday, Justice Emeka Nwite added that the property must be in Abuja and that the title documents to the property would be verified by the Deputy Chief Registrar of the court before acceptance.
Justice Nwite ordered that the ex-governor must deposit his international passport with the court, while he and his two sureties are also to deposit two recent passport photographs with the court.
He also ruled that Bello be remanded in the Kuje Correctional Center in Abuja, where he was brought by the EFCC, pending the perfection of his bail conditions.
The court granted Bello bail after pleading not guilty to the 19-count charge brought before the court by the EFCC following investigations into the eight years of his administration in Kogi state.
While arguing that there was no justification for the suit before the court, the former governor promised to attend all court sittings until proceedings are concluded.
He also apologized to the Federal High Court in Abuja and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for refusing to honour the court summons and invitations extended to him regarding allegations against his administration in the state.
Bello said that his conducts over the past months was not well thought out, promising to honour subsequent court summons on the suits filed by the anti-graft agency against him.
