Yahaya Bello, the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, has pleaded not guilty to a 16-count charge filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The anti-graft agency is accusing him of involvement in a N110bn fraud scheme.
Bello, along with co-defendants Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, appeared before Justice Maryanne Anenih at the FCT High Court on Wednesday. Bello was dressed in a white kaftan and blue cap. The three men are being prosecuted as the 1st to 3rd defendants in the fresh case, marked CR/7781, which includes charges of conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, and possession of unlawfully obtained property.
The EFCC alleges that Bello misused state funds to acquire several high-value properties, including a property at No. 35 Danube Street, Maitama District, Abuja (N950 million), No. 1160 Cadastral Zone C03, Gwarimpa II District, Abuja (N100 million), and No. 2 Justice Chukwudifu Oputa Street, Asokoro, Abuja (N920 million). Additional properties linked to the defendants include Block D Manzini Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N170 million), a hotel apartment in Burj Khalifa, Dubai (5,698,888 AED), Block 18, Gwelo Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N60 million), and No. 9 Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N310.4 million).
The EFCC also accused the defendants of transferring significant amounts of money, including $570,330 and $556,265 to TD Bank in the USA, and of possessing unlawfully obtained property, such as N677.8 million from Bespoque Business Solution Limited.
At the previous hearing on November 14, the EFCC had requested an adjournment until Wednesday, November 27, explaining that the 30-day window for a summons still applied. Meanwhile, the court granted administrative bail to co-defendants Oricha and Hudu, while the EFCC asked for an extension of time for Bello to appear.
