On Tuesday, 10 December 2024, a Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting at Maitama, Abuja, denied bail application to the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, who has been in detention since November 25 over an alleged fraud case.
The court, in a ruling delivered by Justice Maryann Anenih, described as premature and incompetent, the application the former governor filed to be released on bail, pending the determination of the charge against him.
The court stated that Bello filed the bail application even before he surrendered himself to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Anenih emphasized that a bail application is filed to challenge the detention of a defendant and wondered why the former governor filed his motion at a time when he was not in custody. She held that Bello’s action implied that he attempted to invoke the jurisdiction of the court too early.
“Consequently, the instant application, having been filed prematurely, is hereby refused,” the trial judge held.
However, the court admitted the 2nd defendant in the matter, Umar Oricha, to bail in the sum of N300 million with two sureties in the like sum. Justice Anenih has yet to decide the fate of the 3rd defendant in the matter.
Bello, who was governor of Kogi State from 2016 to 2024, is facing trial over his alleged complicity in a N110 billion fraud.
He is answering to a 16-count charge the EFCC, pressed against him and two officials of the Kogi state government- Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu- who were cited as 2nd and 3rd defendants in the matte
Discover more from TRW News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.