Aliyu Bello, the nephew of Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, and a man named Dauda Sulaiman have been detained in custody until their bail requirements have been met, according to Justice James Kolawole Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja.
According to a statement on the EFCC’s verified social media page on Thursday, they were placed in detention after being charged with misappropriation and money laundering on ten counts, along with one Abdulsalami Hudu, Cahier of the Kogi State House Administration (who is now at large).
It continued, “Bello and Sulaiman are accused of fraudulently withdrawing N10, 270,556,800 (Ten Billion, Two Hundred and Seventy Million, Five Hundred and Fifty-Six Thousand, Eight Hundred Naira) from the Kogi State Treasury, which they delivered to a Bureau de Change operator, Rabiu Tafada, in Abuja, to keep or change into foreign currencies for personal gains.
Between January and December 2021, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, you, Ali Bello, Daudia Suleiman, and Abdulsalami Hudu (now at large), procured Rabiu Usman Tafada to take possession of the total sum of N5,865,756,800 (Five Billion, Eight Hundred and Sixty Five Million, Seven Hundred and Fifty Six Thousand, Eight Hundred Naira), which sum you reasonably ought to have
The following is stated in another count: “That you, ALI BELLO, DAUDA SULEIMAN, and ABDULSALAMI HUDU (NOW AT LARGE), between January and December 2021, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, assisted RABIU USMAN TAFADA to retain the total sum of N2,509,650,000.00 (Two Billion, Five Hundred and Nine Million, Six Hundred and Fifty Thousand), which sum you reasonably ought to have
However, they entered a “not guilty” plea to the allegations made against them by the EFCC.
The prosecutor’s lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, asked the court to set a date for the trial to start, since the defendants had already agreed to plead guilty.
The lawyer for the second and third defendants, Abdulwahab Mohammed SAN, told the court that he wanted the defendants to be released on bond.
Justice Omotosho granted the defendants bail in the amount of N1 billion apiece, along with two sureties who must each post a N2 billion bond and own real estate worth N500 million. The chief registrar of the court must have the property titles on file.
The chief registrar of the court must receive bank statements from each of the sureties and defendants, as well as copies of their international passports.
The sureties must also present an affidavit of means and proof of three years’ worth of tax clearance.
The defendants were then ordered by the judge to the Kuje Correctional Center in Abuja, while the matter was postponed to February 6, 2023, for a hearing.
