BREAKING: Court denies bail to Yahaya Bello, gives reasons

 

A Federal High Court in Abuja has refused to grant bail to Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, in his ongoing money laundering case involving over N100 billion.

Bello is standing trial with two others in the charge filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Justice Maryanne Anenih of the Abuja Federal High Court noted on Tuesday that records showed that Bello was arraigned on November 27 after authorities took him to custody on November 26 and that his bail application was filed on November 22, several days before he was taken into custody.

Anenih then ruled that since Bello’s bail application was filed when he was neither in custody nor in court, his instant application for the bail could not stand.

“The instant application for bail showed that it was filed on the 22nd of November. This shows that it was filed several days after the 1st defendant was taken into custody,” Anenih noted.

Before Anenih’s ruling, J.B Daudu, Bello’s counsel, had told the court that he had presented enough proofs to grant the bail.

“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, the defence counsel said.

“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.”

Kemi Pinheiro, counsel to the EFCC, argued that Bello’s instant application for a bail was outrightly incompetent as it was filed before arraignment.

However, Umar Oricha, the second defendant in the case, was granted bail in the sum of N300 million with two sureties.

The condition of the bail also included that the sureties must be a property owner in Maitama valued not less than the bond sum, and that the original title document of the property must be submitted in court.

The court also ruled that the sureties must depose to an affidavit of means, and copies of their passport be deposited.

In addition to that, Oricha must deposit his travel documents and be remanded in prison custody until he fulfils the bail conditions.