The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Maitama, on Wednesday, ordered the remand of the former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) until December 10.
The court will rule on his application for bail on that date.
Justice Maryann Anenih gave the order after Bello and his co-defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, pleaded not guilty to a 16-count charge filed against them by the EFCC. The charges include conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, and possession of unlawfully obtained property linked to an alleged N110 billion fraud.
The EFCC, represented by its lead counsel Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, urged the court to deny Bello’s bail application, citing his history of evading trial.
“Several efforts to secure his presence before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, where he is facing another charge, proved abortive,” Pinheiro said.
The prosecution further argued that the bail application was “incompetent,” stating that it was filed before the court assumed jurisdiction.
“This court only assumed jurisdiction upon the arraignment of the defendants. It is only after arraignment that the bail application can arise and be heard. The application is premature, hasty, and contradicts the meaning of bail,” Pinheiro added.
