By Uche Amunike
The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, has granted a N500m bail to the former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, bail on Thursday, over the alleged N10.4bn fraud, for which he is being tried.
Recal that Yahaya Bello is currently facing 16 counts bordering on conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and possession of unlawfully obtained property, alongside Shuaibu Oricha and Abdusalam Hudu.
The operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned them on November 27, 2024. However, they all pleaded not guilty to the charges.
On December 10, Justice MaryAnne Anenih, rejected the original bail application for Yahaya Bello, on the grounds that it was premature and unprocedural, because it was filed before the arrest of the ex-Governor and before he appeared in court.
The judge, however, granted a N300m bail to each co-defendant, while the case was adjourned to January.
Yahaya Bello, however, presented a fresh bail through his lawyer, J.B Daudu (SAN), which was heard and granted with three sureties in like sum.
According to the judge, the sureties must be responsible citizens who own lands in Maitama, Guzape, Apo, Wuse 2, Garki, Otako or Asokoro Areas of the Federal Capital Territory.
She also ordered that the sureties must deposit documents of the landed property with the Court Registrar, as well as two recent passport photographs, while mandating that Bello should deposit his international passport and other travel documents too.
Her pronouncement: ‘The first defendant must not travel without the permission of this court and he shall remain in the Kuje correctional facility until the bail conditions are met.’
She further ordered that Yahaya Bello must also submit a photocopy of his identity card, which could also be his national I.D card.
When the case was earlier called, counsel to Yahaya Bello, J. B Daudu (SAN), informed the judge about the fresh bail application, stating that it had been discussed by the prosecution and the defence, who were both committed to a speedy trial.
The prosecution counsel, Olukayode Enitan (SAN), also confirmed that both the prosecution and the defence had been in talks, but added that the prosecution would not oppose the bail application, but however leave it at the discretion of the judge.
His words: ‘I confirm the evidence given by the distinguished member of the Inner Bar that is leading the defence, J.B. Daudu (SAN), that he has been in conversation with the leader of the prosecuting team.’
‘As with the legal tradition that we should cooperate with members of the bar when it does not affect the course of justice, we have decided not to make this contentious, bearing in mind that no matter how industrious the defence counsel might be in pushing forward the application for bail and no matter how vociferous the prosecution counsel can argue against the bail application, Your Lordship is bound by your discretion to grant or not to grant the application. We are therefore leaving this to Your Lordship’s discretion.’
After listening to the submissions of both counsels, Justice Anenih granted the bail application and adjourned the case to January 29 and 30 for trial.
