Former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, in court.
Bello to be remanded in the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja pending the perfection of his bail conditions
By Prisca Uka
A temporary relief has come the way of the embattled Kogi State former Governor Yahaya Bello, as court grants him bail to the tune of N500 million.
Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja, who presided over the court session on Friday ordered that the former governor must produce two sureties in like sum.
He said that the two sureties must swear to an affidavit of means and must be owners of properties in Abuja.
Besides, the title documents of the properties, which must be in Abuja, will be verified by the Deputy Chief Registrar of the court.
Justice Nwite ordered that the ex-governor must deposit his international passport with the court, while he and his two sureties are also to deposit two recent passport photographs with the court.
He also ruled that Bello be remanded in the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja pending the perfection of his bail conditions.
Also read: Yahaya Bello: EFCC confirms receipt of $760,000 from Abuja American School
Bello pleaded not guilty to the alleged N80 billion fraud levelled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
EFCC had arraigned Bello before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja on a 19-count charge, bordering on alleged money laundering.
At the resumed hearing, Counsel for the EFCC, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, notified the court of his intention to withdraw an earlier application for abridgment of the earlier date fixed for arraignment.
He said that the application had been overtaken by events.
Counsel to the defendants, Joseph Daudu, SAN, did not object to this and Justice Emeka Nwite, accordingly granted the request, striking out the application.
The ex-governor was earlier remanded in a fresh N110 billion charge by the EFCC, pending his bail application.
The case was adjourned to February 24, 2025, for the continuation of hearing.
……………
For more interesting stories click: nigerianewsflight.com.ng
