The immediate past governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, on Friday, pleaded not guilty to another 19-count charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, preferred against him before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
Bello, who was brought before the court from Kuje prison, denied his alleged complicity in an N80.2 billion fraud.
Specifically, the EFCC alleged that the defendant, who piloted the affairs of Kogi State from 2016 to 2024, used five proxies to acquire choice properties in highbrow areas of Abuja and Dubai.
The anti-graft agency told the court that the properties were acquired with proceeds of crime.
Besides, the anti-graft agency alleged that the former governor attempted to conceal over N3bn by handing the same to proxies to keep for him.
It further told the court that the defendant wired over $700,000 to an account he maintained with a bank in the United States of America, USA, in breach of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act.
Among those that were fingered in the alleged fraud were the former governor’s nephew, Ali Bello, and four others: Dauda Suleiman, Shehu Bello, Rabiu Musa, and Abdulsalam Hudu, who is currently at large.
According to the EFCC, the defendant, by his action, committed public breach of trust, contrary to sections 18(a) and (c) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, and punishable under section 15 of the same Act.
Meanwhile, Bello, through his team of lawyers led by a former president of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Mr. J. B. Daudu, SAN, pleaded with the court to admit him to bail, pending the determination of the charge against him.
Pleading that he would not escape from the country if granted bail, the defendant drew the attention of the court to the fact that he was a two-term governor of Kogi state.
He pledged to provide reasonable persons that would stand surety for him.
More so, ex-Gov Bello begged Justice Emeka Nwite over his initial failure to make himself available for trial, saying he was only exploring legal avenues to challenge the jurisdiction of the court to try him on the allegations the EFCC levelled against him.
“I want to plead and to correct any impression that may have been created that the defendant did not wish to appear before your lordship for his arraignment.
“What he did, which is not an anathema in law, was to direct his counsel to challenge the jurisdiction of the court.
“I was not a wilful disrespect. He acted with the belief that he was trying to defend himself as best as possible. He holds this court and, by extension, my lord, in very high esteem.
“What transpired then was an episode that could have been avoided. It has come and passed, and we mean no harm to this court. Things are clearer now.
“The defendant, being a two-term governor of Kogi State who travelled only twice throughout his tenure, I can assure my lord that he will be available for his trial. There should be no apprehension that he will jump bail,” Daudu, SAN, added.
On his part, counsel to the EFCC, Mr Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, said he was not opposed to the defendant’s request for bail.
He, however, urged the court to impose conditions that would compel his attendance at his trial.
It will be recalled that Justice Maryann Anenih of an Abuja High Court at Maitama had earlier remanded the former governor in Kuje prison after he was docked on a separate 16-count charge.