Alleged N110Bn Fraud: Court Denies Yahaya Bello’s Bail Application

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), on Tuesday, December 10, 2024. refused to grant a bail application filed by the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.

The Court presided over by Justice Maryann Anenih, ruled that the application was filed prematurely, having been filed when the 1st defendant was neither in custody nor before the court.

Justice Anenih pointedly said that in this instant, the application was incompetent, saying, “Consequently, the instant application having been filed prematurely is hereby refused,” the Court ruled.

Yahaya Bello is standing trial, along with two others, over an alleged N110bn money laundering charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Taking a critical look at the arguments before the court on the bail application, Justice Anenih declared; “Before the court is a motion on notice, dated and filed on 22nd November. The 1st Defendant seeks an order of this honourable court admitting him to bail pending the hearing and determination of the charge.

“That he became aware of the instant charge through the public summons. That he is a two-term governor of Kogi State. That if released on bail, he would not interfere with the witnesses and not jump bail”.

The trial judge noted that the defendant’s Counsel, JB Daudu, SAN, had told the court that he had submitted sufficient facts to grant the bail and urged the court to exercise its discretion judicially and judiciously to grant the bail.

However, while opposing the bail, the Prosecution Counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, argued that the instant application was grossly incompetent, having been filed before arraignment.

Pinheiro argued that the application ought to have been filed only after arraignment, stressing that the 1st Defendant’s Counsel disagreed, saying there was no authority that says an application can only be filed when it is ripe for hearing.

In her ruling, Justice Anenih declared; “The instant application for bail showed that it was filed on 22nd of November. This shows that it was filed several days before the 1st defendant was taken into custody”.

Reading from the ACJa section, Justice Anenih said the provision provided that an application for bail could be made when a defendant had been arrested, detained, arraigned or brought before the court.

Yahaya Bello had filed an application for his bail on 22nd November but was taken into custody on November 26, and arraigned on November 27, 2024.