By Jude-Ken Ojinnaka
Sequel to the elevation of Justice Ahmed Mohammed to the Court of Appeal, the trial of former Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bello Haliru Mohammed and two others over alleged diversion of funds meant to purchase arms was reassigned to another judge.
Consequently the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) re-arraigned Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Bello Mohammed and his company before Justice Peter Lifu (JP) of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday.
Mohammed was re-arraigned by the Anti-graft commission on a four-count charge bordering on his alleged role in the diversion of funds meant for the procurement of arms through the office of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki.
Bello Haliru Mohammed was arraigned alongside his company, Bam Projects and Properties Ltd, for alleged criminal breach of trust and money laundering.
Recall that Sambo Dasuki served as NSA during former President Goodluck Jonathan government.
In the amended charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/389/2015, Federal Republic of Nigeria is the complainant while Bam Projects and Properties Ltd and Bello Haliru Mohammed are 1st and 2nd defendants respectively.
The amended charge was dated and filed on March 18 by the anti-graft counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN).
When the matter was called arraignment, the counsel who appeared for EFCC, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, told the court that the matter was for the defendants to take their plea, adding that he was ready to proceed.
He told the court that an amended charge had been filed and the defence had been served.
The defendants’ counsel Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), confirmed receipt of the amended charge.
After the charge was read to the defendants, they pleaded not guilty to all the counts and Atolagbe applied for trial date.
But Agabi prayed the court to allow the 2nd defendant continue on existing bail granted him by Justice Ahmed Mohammed.
The Silk lawyer submitted that Mohammed did not flout the earlier bail conditions granted him and assured that he would not jump bail.
Although Atolagbe did not oppose Agabi’s application, he however argued that his bail was once revoked for breaching the terms.
Justice Lifu, who admitted Mohammed to the bail earlier granted by a sister court, adjourned the matter until May 7 and 8 for trial.
In count one, the company, the ex-PDP chairman and his son, Bello Abba Mohammed (now deceased), were accused to have on or about March 17, 2015, taken possession of the sum of N300 million paid into the account of Bam Project and Properties Ltd with Sterling Bank Plc from the account of the office of the NSA with the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The EFCC further alleged that the funds formed part of the proceed of an unlawful activity of Col. Dasuki (rtd.) and that the offence is contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended in 2012) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
Recall that Mohammed was earlier arraigned before Justice Mohammed of FHC in Abuja on January 5, 2016 and was granted bail on January 7, 2016.
Notwithstanding that the matter had reached advanced stage before Justice Mohammed was recently elevated to the Court of Appeal, the case started denovo (afresh) before Justice Lifu (JP).