The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will Thursday, April 18, 2024, arraign a former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello and three others before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on an alleged N81 billion money laundering charge.
The three others, said to be at large, are one Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman, and Abdulsalam Hudu.
According to court processes seen by Nigerian Current the trio are to face 19 counts of alleged fraud in a charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/98/2024 filed on March 6, 2024, by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Dr. Kemi Pinheiro.
Pinheiro and two other SANs – Jubrin Okutepa and Rotimi Oyedepo – will lead seven other lawyers from the EFCC against the defendants.
Nigerian Current reports that Bello has, since before his second term ended in 2023, been in a running battle with the Commission over alleged fraud.
His 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 1 of the charge reads: “That you, Yahaya Adoza Bello, Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman, and Abdulsalam Hudu (Still at large), sometime in February, 2016, in Abuja, conspired amongst yourselves to convert the total sum of N80,246,470,089.88 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 2: “That you, Yahaya Adoza Bello, sometime in 2023, in Abuja, indirectly procured one Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman and Abdulsalam Hudu (still at large) to use the sum of N950,000,000.00 for the acquisition a property lying, being and situate at No. 35 Danube Street, Maitama District, Abuja, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of your unlawful activity to wit: criminal breach of trust, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 18 (c) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act.
Count 3: That you, Yahaya Adoza Bello, sometime in February, 2021 in Abuja, indirectly procured one Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman and Abdulsalam Hudu (still at large) to use the sum of N100,000,000.00 for the acquisition a property lying, being and situate at No. 1160, within Cadastral Zone C03, Gwarimpa II District, Abuja, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of your unlawful activity to wit: criminal breach of trust, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 18(c) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act.
Count 4 “That you, Yahaya Adoza Bello, sometime between 2018 to 2020, indirectly procured one Yakubu Siyaka Adegbenga, Iyadi Sadat and Abba Adaudu to use the sum of N920,000,000.00, for the acquisition a property lying, being and situate at No.2 Justice Chukwudifu Oputa Street, Asokoro, Abuja, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of your unlawful activity to wit: criminal breach of trust, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 18(c) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act.
Count 5: “That you, Yahaya Adoza Bello, sometime in 2022, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court indirectly procured one Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman, Rabiu Musa Tafada Global Ventures and Abdulsalam Hudu (still at large) to use the sum of N170,000,000.00 for the acquisition of a property lying, being and situate at block D Manzini Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of your unlawful activity to wit: criminal breach of trust, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 18(c) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act.”
In count 18, Bello was accused of procuring a firm to transfer the aggregate sum of US$570,330.00 to an account number 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.”
The last count accused him of indirectly procuring E-Traders International Limited, Aleshua Solutions Services, Whales Oil and Gas, Forza Oil and Gas, Dada Grand Merchant Limited to transfer $556,265 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 Misappropriation, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15(3) of the same Act.”
On Wednesday, Justice Nwite granted the EFCC permission to arrest Bello, preparatory to his arraignment on Thursday.
This is as a Kogi State High Court in a conflicting ruling restrained the EFCC from arresting, detaining or prosecuting the ex-governor.
Mr. Oyedepo, had approached the court by an ex parte application dated 16th of April, but filed 17th of April, 2024.
In the application, the EFCC asked trial judge, Justice Nwite for an ORDER granting leave to the EFCC to effect service of the Charge together with the proof of evidence on the Defendant by substituted means; by pasting the Charge at the last known address of the Defendant within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court being; 9, Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja.
The EFCC also sought an order issuing an arrest warrant for the immediate arrest of the Defendant for the purpose of bringing him before the Court for his arraignment or in the alternative;
“An ORDER issuing and directing the publishing of a public summons requiring/ commanding the Defendant to appear before this Honourable court on a names date;
“AN ORDER granting leave to the Complainant/Applicant to cause the publication of the public summons in any newspaper that enjoys wide circulation or by affixing it to some conspicuous part of the last known address of the Defendant or by affixing a copy of the public summon to some conspicuous part of this Honourable court.
“AN ORDER granting leave to the Complainant/Applicant to publish and/or make advertorial of the Order for substituted service on the Defendant on a full page of any National dailies.
After listening to the EFCC Counsel, Justice Nwite granted an order directing and/or issuing a warrant for the immediate arrest of the Defendant for the purpose of bringing him before the Court for his arraignment.
The court further adjourned till Thursday April, 18, 2024 for the arraignment of the former governor.
