Governor Bello’s nephew and others, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges said to violate Sections 18(a), 15(20)(d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended.
By Jeffrey Agbo
Justice Obiora Egwuatu of a Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed February 20 to rule on the bail application filed by Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello’s nephew, Ali, and others.
The court fixed the date on Tuesday after the defence lawyer, Ahmed Raji, (SAN), and the prosecuting lawyer M.K. Hussein, presented their arguments for and against the motion.
On February 8, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Ali and three others before Justice Obiora Egwuatu.
They were arraigned on an 18-count charge of money laundering and misappropriation of about N3 billion.
The three other co-defendants are Abba Adauda, Yakubu Adabenege and Iyada Sadat, while the governor’s wife, Rashida Bello, was said to be at large.
According to the EFCC, the defendants allegedly committed the crime between 2020 and 2021.
Governor Bello’s nephew and others, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges said to violate 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.
READ ALSO:
EFCC appeals Kogi court ruling committing chairman, Bawa, to prison
Upon resumed hearing, Raji said that two separate bail applications were filed on behalf of his clients.
He said the first application was filed on behalf of Ali (1st defendant) and the second was filed on behalf of the 2nd to 4th defendants.
He adopted the written addresses in urging the court to grant the request.
The senior lawyer, who argued that based on the 1999 Constitution, an accused person is presumed innocent until proven guilty, prayed the court to use its discretionary power in their favour.
He said Governor Bello’s nephew was earlier granted administrative bail by the EFCC during its investigation and he did not breach the terms, hence, he wondered why the commission opposed his bail plea.
Raji also urged the court to grant the 2nd to 4th defendants’ bail applications.
He said that the commission had been investigating them for over a year and the EFCC admitted them to bail during which the international passport of the 3rd defendant was released to him to travel to Saudi Arabia without breaching bail conditions.
But Hussein, who opposed the application, said two separate counter affidavits were filed in the regard.
He added that the defendants were flight risks and that they had the capability to interfere in the trial if granted bail.
, 15(20)(d) of the){kind=link}