By Oyinkansayo Wole-Bodunde.
The federal government has introduced a new 16-count charge against Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi State.
Filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja, the charges focus on allegations of criminal breach of trust involving a sum of N110,446,470,089. This contravenes sections 96 and 311 of the Penal Code Law Cap.89, Laws of Northern Nigeria, 1963, and is punishable under Section 312 of the same law.
Meanwhile, Bello has taken the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to the Supreme Court, challenging their decision to declare him wanted. This legal move comes as the EFCC intensifies its efforts to prosecute the former governor over an alleged N80.2 billion money laundering case.
Bello, previously charged with 19 counts by the EFCC, now faces the fresh 16-count charge alongside two Kogi State government officials, Abdulsalami Hudu and Umar Oricha. The charges accuse the defendants of misusing Kogi state funds to acquire properties in Abuja and Dubai, according to the charge sheet obtained by TheCable.
In the first count, Bello, Oricha, and Hudu are alleged to have conspired in 2016 to commit a criminal breach of trust concerning N110,446,470,089, a sum entrusted to them.
Count two accuses the defendants of spending N950 million in 2023 to purchase a property located at 35 Danube Street, Maitama District, Abuja.
The third count alleges that they used N100 million in 2021 to buy a property at 1160 Cadastral Zone CO3, Gwarimpa I District, Abuja.
In the fourth count, the defendants are accused of spending N920 million in 2020 to purchase a property at 2 Justice Chukwudifu Oputa Street, Asokoro, Abuja.
The fifth count charges them with using N170 million in 2022 to acquire a property at Block D Manzini Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja.
Count six alleges that in 2018, they used N100 million to acquire a property at 1773 Guzape District, Abuja.
In count seven, they are accused of using another N100 million in 2020 to purchase a property at A02/176 Block 488B, Lome Street, Wuse 1, Abuja.
The eighth count alleges that in 2020, they used N66 million to buy a property located at 739 Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse 2, at 13 Citiscape-Sharriff Plaza, Abuja.
In count nine, the defendants are charged with using N550 million in 2020 to acquire a property at 2934 A Cadastral Zone A06, also known as 1 Ikogosi Spring Close, Maitama District, Abuja.
In count 10, they are accused of spending N650 million in 2021 to acquire a property at 1058, Cadastral Zone A08, Wuse 2, also known as 2 Durban Street, Abuja.
Count 11 alleges that in 2022, they spent 5,698,888 Dirhams to purchase a property at Hotel Apartment Community: Burj Khalifa, Plot 160, Municipality No 345-7562, Sky View Building No.401, Floor 4, Dubai, UAE.
Count 12 charges the defendants with using N60 million in 2016 to acquire Block 18 (337) Flat B, Gwelo Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja.
In count 13, they allegedly spent N310,443,450 in 2017 to renovate a property located at 9 Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja.
In counts 14 and 15, the defendants are accused of transferring $570,330 and $556,265 respectively to account No. 4266644272 domiciled with TD Bank, USA, in 2021.
Count 16 specifically alleges that Bello, between 2017 and 2018, controlled N677,848,000 unlawfully obtained from Bespoque Business Solutions Limited.
When the case was called, Bello’s legal team, led by A. M. Adoyi, informed the court about an appeal pending before the Supreme Court, filed on September 23, to challenge the arrest warrant issued against Bello on April 17.
Adoyi urged the court to delay the arraignment until the Supreme Court reaches a decision, stating, “My lord, the appeal number is SC/CR/847/2024 and SC/CR/848/2024. We believe that the most appropriate thing to do is to await the decision of the Supreme Court in the aforesaid appeals, before taking any step for arraignment so as not to render the appellant’s appeal null or to pull the rug out of the feet of the Supreme Court.”
Bello was scheduled to appear before the court yesterday for his arraignment. However, the EFCC’s counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, requested that Bello’s lawyer be referred to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee for allegedly undermining the judiciary’s integrity.
Pinheiro noted that the lawyer was part of Bello’s defense team when the court ruled that no further applications would be entertained until Bello appeared for trial. He argued, “My lord, what counsel to the defendant has demonstrated before this court is nothing but the audacity of irresponsibility. I urge this court to impose its coercive powers to let him know that the court is not a place for entertainment.”
The EFCC’s lawyer also highlighted that instead of appearing in court, Bello claimed to have gone to the EFCC’s office. Pinheiro added, “What is worrisome is that the defendant, by his own admission, went to EFCC’s car park holding the hands of a person with immunity, who came with full complement of all the paraphernalia and security of his office. The implication is that if there was an attempt to extricate him from the person with immunity, there would have been an altercation and an invitation to anarchy. By their own admission too, an invitation that was sent later in the day for him to come alone was resisted.”
After hearing from both sides, Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the case to October 30 for a ruling.
