Yahaya Bello, a former governor of Kogi State, who was arraigned in court on Wednesday, has pleaded not guilty to a 16-count charge of N110 billion fraud slammed on him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Bello was docked before Justice Maryann Anenih of a Federal High Court sitting at Maitama, Abuja, alongside two other defendants—Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu.
Persecondnews recalls that the ex-governor’s whereabouts remained unknown till yesterday when he surrendered himself to EFCC after months of a hide-and-seek game between him and the anti-graft agency.
The EFCC has accused them of conspiring to commit a criminal breach of trust involving the misappropriation of public funds.
The charge against the defendants, marked CR/7781, borders on conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, and possession of unlawfully obtained property.
Specifically, the EFCC alleged that the former governor misused state funds to acquire properties in Abuja, including No. 35 Danube Street, Maitama District, Abuja (N950 million), No. 1160 Cadastral Zone C03, Gwarimpa II District, Abuja (N100 million), and No. 2 Justice Chukwudifu Oputa Street, Asokoro, Abuja (N920 million).
Other properties the defendants allegedly acquired with funds stolen from the Kogi state treasury include Block D Manzini Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N170 million); Hotel Apartment Community: Burj Khalifa, Dubai (Five Million, Six Hundred and Ninety-Eight Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty-Eight Dirhams); Block 18, Gwelo Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N60 million); and No. 9 Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N310.4 million).
The defendants are also accused of transferring $570,330 and $556,265 to TD Bank, USA, and possessing unlawfully obtained property, including N677.8 million from Bespoque Business Solution Limited.
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