Ex-Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello Pleads Not Guilty To N110bn Fraud Charges

The immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, on Wednesday, pleaded not guilty to a 16-count charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, preferred against him.

Bello was docked before trial Justice Maryann Anenih of a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting at Maitama, alongside two other defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu.

The defendants were accused of complicity in a N110billion fraud.

It will be recalled that the erstwhile governor’s whereabouts remained unknown till yesterday when he surrendered himself after a protracted hide-and-seek game between him and the anti-graft agency.

Dressed in white caftan and blue cap, Bello, mounted the dock around 9:45am.

After taking their plea, the Defendant’s Counsel, JB Daudu, SAN, moved an application for bail. But the EFCC Counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, opposed the application, saying it had expired in October.

Making clarifications, the Defendant’s Counsel clarified this, saying that the only relevant application before the Court was the motion for bail in respect of the first defendant, which was filed on November 22.

Relying on all the paragraphs of the affidavit, he added that the bail application was also supported with a written address.

“Exhibit A, which is the public summons is very vital and the appearance of the defendant in Court today, shows he has respect for the law,” he said.

The EFCC had moved for trial to commence immediately and was ready to call its first witness.

But Bello’s Counsel argued that they were served with the charge at 11 pm on November 26 and that he would need time to prepare his client.

On the bail application, Daudu SAN said the law in the country says a defendant is innocent until proven guilty.

“It is within his rights to enjoy his liberty while preparing for trial,” he said.

“The prosecution’s objection is based on the fact that he is facing charges at the Federal High Court and has refused to appear to take his plea.

“The court should not use issues from another court to determine issues before the FCT High
Court,” he noted.

Pointing out some paragraphs in the counter affidavit, he said the prosecution raised issues that had to do with a matter at the Federal High Court.

“When the jurisdiction of the Court is challenged, the defendant need not to appear until the issues arising from the jurisdiction are resolved,” he noted.

Objecting to the submissions of Bello, counsel to EFCC held that his preliminary objection was anchored on three grounds – competence of the application; factual content of the application; and application of judicial principles and guidance.

Recall that Umar Shoaib Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu had earlier been admitted to administrative bail by the EFCC while the former governor appeared before the court for the first time.

Before the plea, Justice Anenih, who came in to take the plea of the former governor and his co-defendants, rose abruptly and announced that he would not return until there was sanity in the courtroom.

However, shortly after the judge left the court room, Bello who sat in the front of the court room stood up and moved to the surging crowd.

He immediately directed his followers and sympathisers to vacate their seats and leave the court room.

His actions doused the tension without resistance, as the followers left the court room one after the other.

To ensure sanity in the court room, the former governor sat at the entrance to the court room and ensured that non of his followers disobeyed the order of the court,

Meanwhile, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN is leading the Federal Government legal team for the arraignment while Joseph Dauda, SAN, leads the legal team of the former governor in the 16-count charges.

The charge against the defendants, marked: CR/7781, borders on conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and possession of unlawfully obtained property.

Specifically, the 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).

More so, 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.

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