N110b Fraud:Court Orders Remand of Yahaya Bello In Kuje Correctional Centre

By: Olufemi Orunsola 

After several dramatic episodes of appearances and disappearances from the office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Federal Capital Territory court in Maitama, Abuja, has ruled that the immediate past Governor of Kogi State,Yahaya Bello, who was recently arrested and charged to court, be kept at the Kuje correctional facility, until the next adjourned date for hearing.

OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News gathered that by that ruling, Yahaya Bello will  be remanded in kuje correctional facility till January 29 and, 25, 27 of February, 2025.

Justice Maryann Anenih, however, granted his co-defendant Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu bail to the tune of 300 million Naira, with 2 sureties in like sum.

The sureties must be owners of properties in Maitama valued at not less than the bail bond sum.

OTN News recalls that Yahaya Bello was earlier refused bail by the Federal Captial Territory High court in Maitama, on the ground that his bail was premature.

Justice Maryann Anenih, while delivering the ruling on his bail applicatio, said the application was filed when Bello was neither in custody nor before the court and, therefore, rendered it invalid.

The bail application was filed on November 22, while he was arraigned for the first time on the November 27, 2024.

However, the court while granting Bello’s co defendants 300 million Naira bail, ordered that each defendant produce two sureties to in like sum, and that they must deposit their original Land title documents, valued at same amount in court.

The court also held that the sureties must depose to affidavit of means and that they must deposit copies of their international passport to the court registrar.

The court also ordered both defendants to deposit their travel document to the registrar of the court and be remanded in prison custody pending fulfilment of their bail condition.

It will be recalled that the EFCC has been investigating the former Kogi Governor and his co-defendants for money laundering and fraud related to the diversion of public funds belonging to the Kogi people for private use.

Yahaya Bello and his co-defendnats are, therefore, charge of 110 billion naira hang