- Safiu Kehinde
An Abuja Federal High Court has remanded former Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello, while adjourning his alleged N110 billion money laundering case till 10th of December 2024.
Yahaya, who was placed on a 16 count charges, appeared before Justice Maryann Anenih on Tuesday.
The judge fixed the date after taking arguments for and against the bail request by Bello’s lawyer, Joseph Bodunde Dauda, SAN and the Prosecution’s Counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN.
She, however ruled out the bail application, ordering that the ex-Kogi governor be remanded pending the hearing of his case at the adjounred date.
NPO reports that Bello was arraigned alongside co-defendants Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, before Justice Maryann Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama.
The charges, marked CR/7781, include conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, and possession of unlawfully acquired property.
The EFCC alleges that Bello misappropriated state funds to acquire multiple properties, including: No. 35 Danube Street, Maitama District, Abuja (N950 million), No. 1160 Cadastral Zone CO3, 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).
Similarly, 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.