Court Sets New Date For Ruling On Ex-Governor Yahaya Bello’s Absentia Trial

Court Sets New Date For Ruling On Ex-Governor Yahaya Bello’s Absentia Trial
The Federal High Court in Abuja has postponed its ruling on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) request to prosecute former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello in absentia until January 21, 2025.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The EFCC seeks to try Bello for alleged money laundering and related financial crimes, claiming he has repeatedly failed to appear in court despite multiple summons. He faces allegations of laundering approximately N80 billion.

Justice Emeka Nwite granted the adjournment on Wednesday after hearing arguments regarding the EFCC’s application to proceed with the trial due to the governor’s absence during arraignment.

Earlier in October, the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama dismissed oral bail applications from Abdulsalam Hudu and Umar Oricho, who are co-defendants in a separate N110.4 billion fraud case involving Bello. Justice Maryanne Anenih rejected their requests for bail, emphasizing the need for formal written applications.

The EFCC has filed new charges against Bello, escalating the total fraud allegations against him to N110.4 billion, which follows the original 19 charges of money laundering totaling N80.2 billion. The new charges were submitted on September 25, detailing the same offenses but with an increased sum.

During the recent proceedings, prosecution counsel Rotimi Oyedepo stated that the EFCC has adhered to the court’s previous order to publish a public summons for Yahaya Bello in a national newspaper, as he continues to disregard court mandates for his appearance.

The court had issued a public summons against Bello on October 3, 2024, in light of his failure to appear for arraignment on the new 16-count fraud charges filed by the EFCC.

For more information on this article and other related posts from Bushradiogist, please join our WhatsApp channel by clicking this link https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaUumOODTkK7AZL1Fw3o. For advertisement inquiries only, kindly send a message to 090 1907 0863 on WhatsApp.