The Federal Capital Territory Excessive Courtroom has rejected the bail request of the previous Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, within the alleged N110.4 billion fraud case instituted by the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee (EFCC).
Bello’s co-defendant, Shuabu Oricha was additionally granted N300 million bail by the court docket as of the time of this report.
Bello and two co-defendants had earlier pleaded not responsible to an alleged fraud case involving N110.4 billion earlier than Justice Maryann E. Anenih.
Nairametrics experiences that on October 3, 2024, the court docket issued a public summons in opposition to Bello following his absence throughout a contemporary arraignment on 16-count costs introduced in opposition to him by the EFCC.
His co-defendants are Shuabu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu.
Bello, Shuabu Oricha, and Abdulsalami Hudu have been accused of prison breach of belief and conspiracy to commit an offense involving N110.4 billion.
J.B. Daudu, SAN, who represented the co-defendants, had earlier urged the court docket to proceed with the arraignment of their purchasers amid Bello’s absence.
The matter earlier than the FCT Excessive Courtroom is separate from one other EFCC case in opposition to the ex-governor on the Federal Excessive Courtroom in Abuja.
On Wednesday, the registrar learn out the 16-count costs to the defendants, they usually pleaded not responsible.
Counsel for Bello, J. Daudu SAN, utilized for bail, stating that his consumer’s presence in court docket signaled his obedience to the summons issued to him.
“It’s the said legislation within the nation {that a} defendant is harmless till confirmed responsible. It’s inside his rights to take pleasure in his liberty whereas getting ready for trial,” Daudu stated.
He added that the court docket shouldn’t contemplate points from one other court docket in figuring out issues earlier than the FCT Excessive Courtroom.
In response, EFCC counsel Kemi Piniero SAN objected to the bail utility.
He argued that Bello filed the appliance earlier than his arraignment at the moment, insisting that it contravened the foundations of court docket.
“It is just after arraignment that the bail utility can come up and be heard. The appliance is untimely, hasty, and contradicts the which means of bail,” he argued.
After listening to from each events, the choose fastened December 10, 2024, for ruling.
Nonetheless, she ordered that Bello and his co-defendants be remanded on the EFCC facility pending her ruling.
Ruling on the bail purposes, the choose stated granting of bail must be determined judicially and judiciously within the curiosity of justice.
She stated the problem is whether or not the court docket can train its discretion in granting Yahaya Bello bail.
She stated the provisions of the Administration of Prison Justice Act state {that a} suspect who’s arrested and arraigned is entitled to bail.
She noticed that as of November 22, 2024, when Bello filed the bail utility, he had not but been arraigned.
Citing a verdict of the Supreme Courtroom, she stated a authorized motion is claimed to be “untimely” when it’s filed previous to the establishment of information in court docket.
“This bail utility introduced by the primary defendant(Yahaya Bello) is hereby struck out, ” the choose stated, agreeing with EFCC’s line of submission.
On the bail request of Shuabu Oricha(second defendant), the choose famous that he has been granted administrative bail by the EFCC.
She subsequently granted him N300 million with two sureties in like sum who should personal property at Maitama District, Abuja.
She dominated that the second defendant shall deposit all his journey paperwork with the court docket and shall not journey in another country.
She dominated that the second defendant shall stay on the Kuje Correctional Centre pending perfection of the bail circumstances
The court docket stood down for some minutes to rule on the bail request of the third defendant.
Final week, Yahaya Bello was interrogated by operatives of the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee (EFCC) over an alleged fraud case in opposition to him throughout his tenure as governor of Kogi State.
