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The embattled former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, has been remanded in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) following his arraignment for alleged N110 billion fraud
The presiding judge, Justice Maryanne Aninih remanded Bello and adjourned the matter to December 10 for ruling after the lawyers in the matter argued the bail application.
Earlier, defence counsel, Joseph Daudu (SAN), asked the court to grant bail to Bello as the alleged offences were bailable.
However, prosection counsel, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), challenged the competence of the bail application, arguing that it was filed only on November 22 while the arraignment had not been done.
Bello and two former officials of the Kogi State Government, Abdulsalami Hudu and Umar Oricha were alleged to have conspired to use state government funds to acquire properties in high-brow areas within the FCT and Dubai, United Arab Emirates, worth N110.4 billion.
All three defendants have pleaded not guilty to a 16-count charge brought against them by the anti-graft agency.
Justice Anenih ordered that the trio remain in EFCC custody until the scheduled court date.
The agency, through its team of lawyers led by Mr. Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, told the court that Bello, who is the 1st defendant in the matter, repeatedly refused to make himself available for trial.
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It told the court that several efforts to secure his presence before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, where he is facing another charge, proved abortive.
The charge against the defendants, marked CR/7781, borders on conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, and possession of unlawfully obtained property.
Specifically, the EFCC alleged that the former governor misused state funds to acquire properties, including 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).
Other properties the defendants allegedly acquired with funds stolen from the Kogi state treasury included Block D Manzini Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N170 million), Hotel Apartment Community: Burj Khalifa, Dubai (Five Million, Six Hundred and Ninety-Eight Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty-Eight Dirhams), Block 18, Gwelo Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N60 million), and No. 9 Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N310.4 million).
More so, the defendants were accused of transferring $570,330 and $556,265 to TD Bank, USA, and possessing unlawfully obtained property, including N677.8 million from Bespoque Business Solution Limited.
