Unless he is able to perfect his bail application, former Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello will be remanded at Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja until 29 January 2025 the next hearing of his N110 billion money laundering trial resumes.
This follows the ruling on Tuesday by a judge of a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama, Justice Maryanne Anenih who faulted the competence of the former governor’s bail application and held that it was filed prematurely.
Bello was dragged to court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).Justice Anenih held that the application by the defence team, having been filed when Bello was neither in custody nor before the court, his application was incompetent.
She said: “Consequently, the instant application, having been filed prematurely is hereby refused”.Bello’s bail application was filed on 22 November before he was arrested four days later and arraigned the following day.
In two other rulings, Justice Anenih granted bail to each of two Bello’s co-defendants – Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu – at N300 million with two sureties in like sum.
The judge said the sureties must have property worth the said amount within the court’s jurisdiction.
She then adjourned further proceedings to 29 and January; and 25 and February 2025.
It was learnt that Bello’s lawyers could file a fresh bail application and apply to the court for an early hearing date. If the request for an early date is granted by the court and the fresh bail application granted, Bello could escape spending the yuletide period in Kuje correctional centre.
