SaharaReporters had reported that the former governor, through his lawyer, finally agreed to submit himself to the court at the last adjourned date.
The former governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello is expected to appear today (Thursday) before the Federal High Court in Abuja for arraignment on the corruption charge against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
SaharaReporters had reported that the former governor, through his lawyer, finally agreed to submit himself to the court at the last adjourned date.
Bello’s lead counsel, Abdulwahab Mohammed, gave the undertaking to Justice Emeka Nwite on May 10, shortly after the court rejected the defendant’s request for suspension of trial.
He had told the court that the former governor was not afraid of arraignment but fearful for the safety of his life at the hands of EFCC in Abuja.
According to him, the life of his client has been under consistent threats in Abuja, hence his decision to go underground for safety.
The agreement to submit to court trial was informed by Justice Nwite’s remarks that the EFCC, as a law-abiding body, would not do anything contrary to the provisions of the law.
The judge said Bello was not the first former governor to be invited by the anti-graft agency and would not be the last.
The judge also said that the charges are based on allegations that have not been proved, adding that the law presumes any accused person innocent until proven otherwise.
He advised the senior lawyer to prevail on his client to respect the law and order of the court as a law-abiding person.
Bello’s lawyer, responding to the admonition, thanked the Judge for the hint, adding that, with the assurance that the EFCC would not do anything untoward, the former governor would be brought to court.
“All my client needs is just an assurance for the safety of his life, which has been under threat for some time in Abuja,” he said.
The lawyer requested for four weeks to bring his client before the court.
He said Bello would, however, come to the court instead of the EFCC to take his plea in the charges.
SaharaReporters reported on April 23 that the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, revealed that he called Bello to his office in Abuja for an interview over the alleged N80 billion fraud but he (Bello) asked EFCC operatives to come to his village to interview him.
Olukoyede disclosed that Bello sent his Government House cashier to withdraw money from the government account, took it directly to a Bureau de Change and sent it to the American International School, Abuja for the payment of his children’s tuition in advance.
SaharaReporters in December 2023 exclusively reported that EFCC seized the $760,910.84 Bello paid to American International School, Abuja, as school fees in advance for his four children until graduation.
Documents obtained by SaharaReporters had shown that Bello through his nephew, Mr Ali Bello, entered an agreement with the school to pay tuition for his four children up to graduation in advance to secure their future.
The agreement was signed and executed on August 23, 2021. Following the execution of the agreement, a total of $845.852.84 was paid into the school account in varied instalments.
However, the anti-corruption agency as part of its oversight function, subsequently invited the school authorities for a series of interviews connected with the funds through a letter dated September 7, 2023, after about one year.
SaharaReporters also reported on April 18 that the anti-corruption agency had filed 19 criminal counts before a Federal High Court in Abuja against the former governor bordering on criminal breach of trust and money laundering.
The charge filed at the Federal High Court 9, with charge FHC/ABJ/CR/98/2024, dated March 9, 2024, has Yahaya Adoza Bello as the sole Defendant while the Federal Republic of Nigeria is the complainant.
The EFCC in the charge papers obtained by SaharaReporters, accused the ex-governor of conversion of a total of N80,246,470,089.88 being funds belonging to the Kogi State government in February 2016 to himself, an offence which is contrary to Section 18(a) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended.
Bello was also accused of indirectly using one Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman and Abdulsalam Hudu to use the sum of N950 million being proceeds of crime for the acquisition of a property at No. 35 Danube Street, Maitama District, Abuja.