Alleged N3bn fraud: Court returns Kogi Gov’s nephew to prison

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Alleged N3bn fraud: Court returns Kogi Gov’s nephew to prison

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Monday, returned Ali Bello, a nephew of the Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, back to prison.

Bello is facing trial over his alleged complicity in a N3billion fraud. He is answering to an 18-count charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, preferred against him and three others.

Other defendants in the case, are; Abba Adauda, Yakubu Siyaka Adabenege and Iyada Sadat.

Trial Justice Obiora Egwuatu had on February 8, remanded the defendants at Kuje prison after they took turns and pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The defendants, through their lawyer, Mr. Ahmed Raji, SAN, prayed the court to release them on bail pending the hearing and determination of the case against them.

They contended that the charge contained bailable offences.

However, EFCC opposed the bail application on the premise that the defendants posed a flight risk.

It requested for a trial date as well as time to file a counter-affidavit in opposition to the defendants’ bail request.

Meanwhile, at the resumed proceedings in the matter on Monday, Mr. Raji, SAN, told the court that the anti-graft agency served him with a counter-affidavit towards the close of work last Friday.

Though the EFCC, through its lawyer, Mr. M.K. Hussein, confirmed the development, Justice Egwuatu noted that the process was not in court’s file.

Upon further enquiry, it was discovered that the process was forwarded to another court.

Consequently, Justice Egwuatu deferred hearing of the bail applications and EFCC’s counter-affidavit, till Tuesday.

He ordered that the defendants should be returned back to prison custody.

The charge against the defendants bordered on conspiracy, fraud criminal misappropriation and money laundering to the tune of N3,081,804,654.00.

Some of the counts in the charge against them, read: “That you, Ali Bello, Abba Adauda, Yakubu Siyaka Adabenege, Iyada Sadat, and Rashida Bello (at large) sometime in June, 2020 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court procured E-Traders International Limited to retain the aggregate sum of N3,081,804,654.00 which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful activity to wit: criminal misappropriation, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to sections 18(a), 15(20)(d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act”.

“That you, Ali Bello, Abba Adauda, and Rashida Bello (at large) sometime in November, 2021 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honorable court procured E-Traders International Limited to transfer the aggregate sum of $570,330 to account number no; 426-6644272 domiciled in TD Bank, United States of America, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful activity to with: criminal misappropriation, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act”.