By Hussein J-Isah
A Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Maitama Tuesday, remanded the former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello in Kuje prison.
Justice Maryann Anenih who presided over the matter issued the remand order after adjourning the defendant’s trial till February 25, 2025.
This came to the fore a day the court dismissed an application the former governor filed for his release on bail, pending the determination of the charges against him
Yahaya Bello held sway as governor of Kogi state between 2016 and 2024. He currently faces trial over alleged complicity in N110 billion fraud, in a 16-count charge by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, preferred against him and two officials of the Kogi state government, Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu named as 2nd and 3rd defendants in the matter.
Bello’s detention started since November 25.
On Monday, the court dismissed his bail application for his release as premature and incompetent.
The court noted that Bello filed the bail application on November 22, about three days before he surrendered himself to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Justice Anenih, stressed that a bail application was filed to challenge the detention of a defendant, wondering why Bello filed his motion at a time he was not in custody. By the action, the judge declared that the defendant only attempted to invoke the jurisdiction of the court too early.
She therefore held that: “Consequently, the instant application, having been filed prematurely, is hereby refused.”
But the court decision admitted the 2nd and 3rd defendants to bail in the sum of N300 million with two sureties in the like sum.
However, the court seized the travelling documents of the defendants as part of conditions for their bail.
It would be recalled that all the defendants in the case brought before the court by the EFCC had on November 27 pleaded not guilty to the charge, while Justice Aninih remanded them in the custody of the anti-graft body, pending the determination of their bail applications.
The EFCC had prayed the court to set aside Bello’s request for bail. The EFCC argued through its team of lawyers led by Mr. Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, that the former Kogi State governor who is the 1st defendant in the matter had repeatedly avoided his appearance for trial.
EFCC informed the court that efforts to secure his presence before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, where he is facing another charge, failed to hold.
The EFCC challenged the competence of the bail application it noted was filed on November 22, about five days before the arraignment took place and prayed the court to dismiss the bail application that Bello filed through his legal team led by a former president of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Mr. Joseph Daudu, SAN.
Bello said that he was innocent of all the allegations against him, contending that he would not be able to effectively prepare his defence if continued to be remanded in detention.
Counsel to Yahaya Bello urged the court to disregard the EFCC’s claim that his client refused to submit himself for trial.
The charge against the defendants, marked CR/7781, borders on conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, and possession of unlawfully obtained property.
The anti-graft agency, among others, alleged that the former governor misused state funds to acquire properties, including that lady cated at 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), 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, all the defendants in the matter 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.
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