Court Denies Yahaya Bello Bail
A Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting at Maitama on Tuesday denied bail to the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, who has been in detention since November 25.
Justice Maryann Anenih, in her ruling, described as premature and incompetent the application the former governor filed to be released on bail, pending the determination of the charge against him.
According to the court, Bello filed the bail application even before he surrendered himself to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Justice Anenih, who stressed that a bail application is filed to challenge the detention of a defendant, wondered why the former governor filed his motion at a time he was not in custody.
She held that the implication of Bello’s action was that he attempted to invoke the jurisdiction of the court too early.
“Consequently, the instant application, having been filed prematurely, is hereby refused,” the trial judge held.
However, the court admitted the 2nd defendant in the matter, Umar Oricha, to bail in the sum of N300million with two sureties in the like sum.
All the defendants had, on November 27, pleaded not guilty to the charge, even as trial Justice Aninih remanded them in the custody of the EFCC, pending the determination of their bail applications.
The charge against the defendants, marked CR/7781, borders on conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, and possession of unlawfully obtained property.
EFCC alleged that the former governor misused state funds to acquire properties, including No. 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).
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).
Likewise, 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.
