*Pix above: Yahaya Bello
Justice Maryanne Anenih of a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama, Abuja, on Thursday, summoned a former Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, to appear before her court on October 24, in respect of a fresh 16-count charge pending against him.
The order was sequel to an application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which is seeking the arraignment of the former governor and two others, over alleged fraud to the tune of N110 billion.
In the suit marked: CR/7781/2024, Bello, Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu are been accused of spending over N110 billion of public funds to acquire several properties in Abuja and Dubai.
The suit dated September 24 but filed on September 25, by the anti-graft lawyer, Mr Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), accused the defendants of criminal breach of trust, an offence punishable under Section 312 of the Penal Code Laws of Northern Nigeria, 1963.
At Thursday’s proceedings, the EFCC claimed that it has not been able to serve the fresh charge on the former governor and prayed the court to issue a public summons against Bello.
In a short ruling, the court granted the request and ordered the EFCC to publish the public summons in a widely circulating newspaper.
She also ordered the EFCC to paste copies of the public summons on Bello’s last known address and in conspicuous places in court premises.
Count one of the charge reads: “That you, Yahaya Adoza Bello, Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu sometime in 2016 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court agreed amongst yourselves to cause to be done an illegal act to wit: criminal breach of trust in respect of the total sum of N110,446,470,089.00 (one hundred and ten billion, four hundred and forty six million, four hundred and seventy thousand, eighty nine naira) entrusted to you.”
In count two, they were alleged to have sometime in 2023, in Abuja, whilst having dominion over the state’s treasury, dishonestly used the total sum of N950,000,000.00 (nine hundred and fifty million naira) for the acquisition of a property known as No 35, Danube Street,Maitama, District, Abuja.
In count 11, the defendants were alleged to have used over five million dirhams to acquire a property in Khalifa Municipality, Dubai.
Count 14 reads: “That you Yahaya Adoza Bello, Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu sometime in 2021, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, whilst having dominion over the state’s treasury, dishonestly sent the total sum of $570,330.00 (five hundred and seventy thousand, three hundred and thirty United State dollars) to account No. 4266644272 domiciled with TD Bank, United States of America.
Count 15 claimed that the defendants sometime in 2021, in Abuja, whilst having dominion over the state’s treasury, dishonestly sent the total sum of $556,265.00 (five hundred and fifty six thousand, two hundred and sixty five United State dollars) to account No. 4266644272 Domiciled with TD Bank, United States of America.
Meanwhile, the former governor in count 16 was alleged to have sometime between 2017 and 2018, in Abuja, had under his control the total sum of N677,848,000 (six hundred and seventy seven million, eight hundred and forty eight thousand naira) unlawfully obtained from BESPOQUE BUSINESS SOLUTION LIMITED.
In the last five months, the commission had attempted to arraign the former governor before a Federal High Court, Abuja, on an alleged money laundering charge to the tune of over N80 billion, but has not been successful.///
