Yahaya Bello, 2 others plead not guilty to 16 fraud charges
The immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, alongside two other defendants, pleaded not guilty to the 16-count charges filed against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Appearing before Justice Maryann Anenih of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday, former Governor Bello, the first defendant, firmly denied the allegations as they were read out.
After the charges were read, the defense counsel, Joseph Daudu, filed a bail application on behalf of his client. However, EFCC counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, opposed the request, arguing that the application had expired in October.
READ ALSO: Alleged ₦110bn Fraud: Yahaya Bello arrives FCT court
In response, Daudu clarified that the relevant bail application, filed on November 22, was supported by an affidavit and written address. He referred to Exhibit A, the public summons, and emphasized that Bello’s appearance in court demonstrated his respect for the law.
The EFCC had asked for the trial to begin immediately and was prepared to call its first witness. However, the defense argued that they had only received the charges at 11 p.m. on November 26 and needed time to prepare.
Daudu reiterated that under the law, a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty and has the right to enjoy liberty while preparing for trial. He also pointed out that the prosecution’s objection was based on a matter before the Federal High Court and should not influence the court’s decision in this case.
EFCC’s counsel raised three grounds of objection: the competence of the bail application, the factual content of the application, and the application of judicial principles.
Earlier, the two other defendants, Umar Shoaib Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, had been granted administrative bail by the EFCC.
The court adjourned the hearing until December 10 to rule on the bail application, ordering that the defendants be remanded in EFCC custody in the meantime.
Proofreading by Uchechi Ojo, Sub-editor at NeptunePrime.
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