A Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, Abuja yesterday ordered the remand of the former governor of Kogi State, Mr Yahaya Bello, in Kuje prison till February 25, 2025.
Justice Maryann Anenih handed down the order after dismissing an application which Bello filed to be released on bail, pending the determination of the case against him.
The judge refused to grant him bail on the grounds that the application was filed prematurely.
She stated in her ruling that the request was made when Bello was neither in custody nor before the court.
Recall that the defendant, who was governor of Kogi State from 2016 to 2024, is tried for alleged N110 billion fraud.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had pressed a 16-count charge against Bello and two other alleged accomplices.
They are Messrs Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu who are listed as second and third respondents respectively.
In the earlier arguments before the court on the bail application, the judge had said: “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.”
She said the defendant’s counsel, Mr Joseph Daudu, had told the court that he had submitted sufficient facts to grant the bail.
Opposing the bail request, the prosecution counsel, Mr Kemi Pinheiro, had argued that the instant application was grossly incompetent, having been filed before arraignment.
He said it ought to be filed after arraignment but the 1st Defendant’s Counsel disagreed, saying there was no authority.
Delivering the ruling, Anenih said the instant application for bail showed that it was filed on the November 22 but he was taken into custody on November 26 and arraigned on November 27.
Recall that during their earlier arraignment, the 2nd defendant, Oricha, was, however, granted a N300 million bail, with two sureties, “who shall have property in the Maitama District of the FCT, within the jurisdiction of the court.
The 3rd defendant, Hudu, was also granted N300 million bail with the same conditions as the 2nd defendant.
The charges against the defendants marked CR/7781, border 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.
