EFCC names Bello in alleged corruption perpetrated in 2015

There was confusion at the Federal High Court in Abuja, yesterday, following the inclusion of immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, in the amended charges filed against the incumbent Chief of Staff (CoS) to the Governor, Alli Bello, and Daudu Suleiman.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleged they diverted about N100 billion belonging to the state in September 2015, months before Bello assumed office as governor.

The former governor was not a defendant in the original suit, and was not in court. However, the CoS and Suleman denied the fraud allegations in the amended 17 counts brought against them at the fresh arraignment, yesterday.

Their plea was taken by Justice James Omotosho.Earlier, the ex-governor, through his counsel, A.M. Aliyu (SAN), had objected to reading of the amended charges to his client, arguing that the anti-graft agency had failed woefully to comply with Section 218 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.

The senior lawyer submitted that a copy of the amended charges was not served on them as required by the provisions of the ACJA Act. EFCC lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), asked the court to reject the arguments of the defendant, adding that the court had on its own endorsed the amendment.

In a brief ruling, Justice Omotosho recalled that he had granted accelerated hearing in the matter and had also ordered that all forms of objections must be kept in abeyance till address stage. He then directed the Court Registrar to read the amended charges.

In the first count, the former governor and Suleman were accused of conspiring in September 2015 and converted the state’s N80,246,470,089 to their personal use.

They allegedly ran afoul of Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 because they ought to have reasonably known that the money was a product of fraud and criminal breach of public trust.

In other charges, the CoS and Suleiman allegedly concealed millions of naira with one Rabiu Tafada, a Bureau De Change (BDC) operator trading under Global Venture in Abuja.

Alli Bello’s counsel, Aliyu, at that point, requested that one of the EFCC witnesses, Edward Fanada, be recalled for fresh cross-examination in view of the contents of the amended charges.Omotosho granted the request due to no objection from the EFCC lawyer. Meanwhile, Omotosho has ordered that Alli Bello and Suleman should continue to enjoy the bail conditions granted them in the previous charges.