Alleged N110.4bn Fraud: EFCC Releases Kogi Ex-Gov Bello’s Co-defendants On Bail

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has released on bail two persons who were listed as defendants in the fresh 16-count charge it filed against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.

The Commission, which confirmed the development when the case came up before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, at Maitama, on Thursday, however, decried its inability to serve a copy of the charge on the former governor.

When the matter was called up, neither ex-Gov Bello nor any of his lawyers were in court.

EFCC lawyer, Mr. Jamiu Agoro, told the court that Bello’s co-defendants—Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu—were released from detention, pending their proposed arraignment.

He said the anti-graft agency had, on October 18, complied with an order the court made after it issued a public summons for the 1st defendant (Bello) to appear before it to enter his plea to the charge.

Agoro noted that the public summons on Bello, which has a 30-day lifespan, was still extant and would expire by November 17.

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“In that wise, we feel it will not be appropriate to take proceedings in this matter while the 30 days is still running,” he submitted.

He, therefore, applied for an adjournment to enable the ex-governor to honour the summons.

“If after the 30 days he is still not before the court, we will make the necessary applications.

“Meanwhile, in view of the situation, we apply for an extension of time within which the 1st defendant ought to appear before this court to honour the summons.

“We also apply for the court to order that a hearing notice be pasted at the last known address of the 1st defendant, which is No. 9 Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja,” EFCC’s lawyer added.

On their part, counsel to the 2nd and 3rd defendants, Mr. Aliyu Saiki, SAN, and Z. E. Abbas, respectively, while confirming that their clients have been granted administrative bail by the EFCC, said they were not opposed to the application for the case to be adjourned till a later date.

“My Lord, I want to confirm that my client has been released on bail. We are thankful to the prosecution for this gesture, but we only hope and pray that they will be allowed to continue to enjoy the administrative bail,” Saiki, SAN, added.

After she had listened to all the parties, trial Justice Maryann Anenih adjourned the matter till November 27.

Justice Anenih ordered that a fresh hearing notice should be served on ex-governor Bello by pasting same at his Abuja residence and at a conspicuous place within the court premises.

It will be recalled that Bello was charged alongside his co-defendants over their alleged complicity in a N110.4 billion fraud.

The charge against the defendants, marked CR/7781, bordered on conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, and possession of unlawfully obtained property.

Specifically, the EFCC alleged that the former governor misused state funds to acquire properties, including No. 35 Danube Street, Maitama District, Abuja (N950 million), No. 1160 Cadastral Zone C03, Gwarimpa II District, Abuja (N100 million), and No. 2 Justice Chukwudifu Oputa Street, Asokoro, Abuja (N920 million).

Other properties the defendants allegedly acquired with funds stolen from the Kogi state treasury included Block D Manzini Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N170 million), Hotel Apartment Community: Burj Khalifa, Dubai (Five Million, Six Hundred and Ninety-Eight Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty-Eight Dirhams), Block 18, Gwelo Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N60 million), and No. 9 Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N310.4 million).

More so, the defendants were accused of transferring $570,330 and $556,265 to TD Bank, USA, and possessing unlawfully obtained property, including N677.8 million from Bespoque Business Solution Limited.