Alleged Fraud: Court Grants Yahaya Bello N500Million Bail

…Adjourns to Feb. 24, 2025 for continuation of hearing 

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja and presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite, on Friday, December 13, 2024, granted the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, bail in the sum of N500 million with two sureties in like sum.

This was after Yahaya Bello pleaded not guilty to the 19-count charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The former governor, who is facing trial over an accusation of money laundering to the tune of N80bn, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

When the case was called for hearing, EFCC’s Counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, told the court of the intention of the prosecution to withdraw an earlier application for abridgment of the earlier date fixed for arraignment, saying that the application had been overtaken by events.

In their submission, Counsels to Yahaya Bello, led by Joseph Daudu, SAN, did not object to the prosecution’s position.

Accordingly, the trial judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, granted the request.

After the Defendant had taken his plea, Daudu, SAN, adduced reasons why Yahaya Bello had not been in court at previous hearings.

He said; “I would like to place on record that for any impression that might have been created that the Defendant did not wish to appear before your lordship, coincidentally, the ruling on my lord’s sitting this morning dealt with the issue of jurisdiction.

“What the Defendant did was to ask his counsel to challenge the jurisdiction of the court, which got to the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.

“So, it was not a wishful disrespect but, he was only trying to defend himself. So, we all hold your lordship in high esteem. If that impression must have been, he should not have presented himself for arraignment.

“That episode is gone and things are clearer now,” Daudu said.

While moving an application for bail, Daudu assured that the Yahaya Bello would always be present in court for the trial, saying; “I am saying this with the highest sense of responsibility that the defendant, a two-term governor of Kogi State, who travelled only two times out of his eight years in service, will always be present in court at all times.

“There should be no apprehension that he will jump bail. So, we urge your lordship to grant us very reasonable conditions of bail such that he will be able to bear,” Daudu pleaded with the Court.

The Counsel to the Defendant commended the Prosecution Counsel, saying he had conducted himself in the best tradition because the matter was not a do-or-die one, adding that they had agreed that the counsels would not stress his lordship over the issue of bail.

The Prosecution Counsel, Pinheiro concurred, saying; “I must express my honour to the very eminent lead senior counsel. He is a man of immense stature, not because of his size.

“I do respect him as President of NBA. I also confirm that we have been engaging in series of discussion to ease the burden on your lordship in compliance with Rule 26 of Rules of Professional Ethics.

“I also note that your lordship had delivered not less than five rulings in this matter and it is our aim to ease the work. We are prosecutors not persecutors and EFCC is a professional commission, a prosecutorial and not persecutorial commission.

“We accept the assurances of the very eminent SAN, that the defendant will make himself available subject to your lordship’s discretionary terms that may be imposed.

“By so doing, we will ease the burden on the court. Therefore, we will not be opposing the eminent SAN’s submission,” he so said.

The Prosecution Counsel said though they had filed a counter-affidavit, they would not oppose the bail, going by the assurances of the learned Daudu SAN.

Ruling on the bail application, Justice Nwite said; “I have listened to the submissions of both counsels. It is not in dispute that both counsels have filed applications in respect of this.

“Based on the account exhibited by learned counsel for the defendant, which was exhibited and supported by prosecution counsel, I am minded to change my earlier stand on this matter,” Justice Nwite said.

The trial judge accordingly granted the Defendant N500 million bail with two sureties, stressing that the sureties must be landed property owners within the jurisdiction of the court.

Justice Nwite also held; “They must swear to affidavit of means. The title deeds of priority to be verified by the court Registrar”.

Yahaya Bello was also asked to submit his international passport while he would remain at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the perfection of his bail conditions.

Yahaya Bello was earlier remanded in a fresh N110bn charge by the EFCC, pending his bail application.