– As EFCC Declares Him wanted
The case instituted by the Economic and Finacial Crimes Commission EFCC against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court Abuja was yesterday, stalled by the former Governor’s absence in court.
Bello, was to be arraigned alongside three other suspects, namely Ali Bello, Dauda Suleman and Abudulsakim Hudu on 19 court charges bordering on money laundering to the tune of #80, 246, 470, 088.88 (Eighty Billion, Two hundred and Forty-six million, Four hundred and Seventy thousand Naira, Eighty-eight Kobo).
Bello’s arraignment is coming on the heels of a warrant of arrest and enrolment order granted the EFCC by the court on Wednesday, April 17, 2024.
Count one of the charges reads: That you, Yahaya Adoza Bello, Ali Bello, Dauda Suliman, and Abdulsalam Hudu( Still at large), sometime, in February, 2016, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired amongst yourselves to convert the total sum of N80, 246,470, 088.88 (Eighty Billion, Two Hundred and Forty Six Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand and Eight Nine Naira, Eighty Eight Kobo), which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of your unlawful activity to wit, criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended”.
Count 17 of the charges read: “That you Yahaya Bello between 26th July 2021 to 6th April 2022 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court aided E-Traders International Limited to conceal the aggregate sum of N3, 081, 804,654.00 (Three Billion, Eighty One Million Eight Hundred and Four Thousand Six Hundred and Fifty Four Naira) in account number 1451458080 domiciled in Access BankPlc, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful activity to wit, criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a), 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.
Count 18 of the charges reads: “That you Yahaya Adoza Bello sometime in November 2021 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court indirectly procured E-Traders international Limited to transfer the aggregate sum of $570,330.00 (Five Hundred and Seventy Thousand, Three Hundred and Thirty Dollars) to account number 4266644272 domiciled in TD Bank, United States of America which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful activity to wit, criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 15( 3) of the same Act”.
However, when the matter came up today, his lawyer saif there is an exparte order restraining EFCC from arresting and prosecuting the former Governor which EFCC appealed against at the Court of Appeal.
It will be recalled that the EFCC failed to arrest Mr. Bello on Wednesday after laying siege on his Abuja home for over 8 hours.
The incumbent, Usman Ododo came to the rescue of his predecessor preventing the commission from leaving with him.
The anti graft agency in a statement it issued yesterday, on it’s website declared the former Governor wanted. It also called on any person who has information about his where about to contact it’s zonal offices in Abuja, Kaduna, Ibadan, Lagos etc.
