A Federal Capital Territory High Court, sitting in Abuja has today, remanded the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello in kuje correctional centre after denying his bail pending his next trial. The presiding judge, Justice Maryann Anenih adjourned the hearing in Bello’s case of N110 billion money laundering charges brought against Bello by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to January 29 and 30 and February 25 and 27, 2027, for hearing.
Delivering the ruling in the case, the judge said having been filed when the 1st defendant, Bello, was neither in custody nor before the court, therefore, the application was incompetent.
“Consequently, the instant application having been filed prematurely is hereby refused,” she concluded.
Yahaya Bello is standing trial alongside two others over an alleged N110bn money laundering charge filed against them by the anti graft agency.
The judge said the arguments before it on the bail application is, “Before the court is a motion on notice, dated and filed on 22nd November. The 1st defendant (Bello) 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 added that the defendant’s counsel, JB Daudu, SAN, had told the court that he had submitted sufficient facts to grant his client bail.
Daudu urged the court to exercise its judicial discretion and magnanimously grant his client bail.
Opposing the motion, the Prosecution Counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, argued that the application before the court was grossly incompetent having been filed prior to arraignment.
Pinheiro insisted that it ought to have been filed after arraignment where Bello’s counsel objected, saying there was no authority “that says that an application can only be filed when it is ripe for hearing”.
While delivering her ruling, Justice Maryann Anenih, said, “The instant application for bail showed that it was filed on 22nd of November.
“This shows that it was filed several days after the 1st defendant was taken into custody.”
Citing provisions of the ACJA, the judge clarified that the law provision is that an application for bail could be made when a defendant had been arrested, detained, arraigned or brought before the court.
However, Bello had filed his bail application on 22nd November, 2024, but he was taken into custody on 26th November, 2024, and arraigned on 27th November, 2024.
More so, the 2nd defendant, Umar Oricha, was, however, granted N300 million bail, with two sureties, in like sum “who shall have property in the Maitama District of the FCT, within the jurisdiction of the court”.
However, he shall not travel outside without the leave of the court and shall remain in Kuje Correctional Centre, pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions.
The 3rd defendant, Abdulsalami Hudu, received the same grace with the 2nd defendant in like sum.
Meanwhile, each surety was asked to enter into a bond for not more than one defendant, while the defendants were directed to deposit their international passports with the Court Registrar