ABUJA– A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, sitting at Maitama, on Tuesday, slated July 17 to rule on an application the former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, filed for permission to travel abroad for medical checkup.
The erstwhile governor, who is answering to a 16-count money laundering charge by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, through his team of lawyers led by Prof. Joseph Daudu, SAN, is praying the court to release his international passport, which was seized as part of conditions upon which he was released on bail.
Bello told the court that he is scheduled to see a doctor in the United Kingdom, UK, based on the recommendation of a cardiologist.
He noted that the court, while granting him bail, warned that he should not travel outside the country without permission.
While urging the court to exercise its discretion in his favour, the embattled former governor pledged to return to the country for the continuation of his trial.
However, his application was opposed by the EFCC which insisted that he posed a flight risk.
In a counter-affidavit, the anti-graft agency maintained that the application amounted to an abuse of the court process since the defendant also filed a similar request before the Federal High Court in Abuja where he is facing another charge.
It accused the defendant of deliberately setting two counts of coordinate jurisdictions on a collision course by approaching them with the same application.
“If the Federal High Court refuses that application and my lord grants it, it will make mockery of our Judicial system,” the EFCC insisted.
Moreso, the prosecution, represented by Mr. Chukwudi Enebele, SAN, contended that the defendant ought to have served a copy of his application to be allowed to travel abroad, on his sureties.
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It argued that putting the sureties on notice would enable them to decide if they would be willing to be held liable should the defendant jump bail and refuse to return to the country for the continuation of the case against him.
The EFCC equally told the court that the former governor was earlier placed on the red list by the Interpol, saying he could be arrested once he stepped outside the country.
In his response, Daudu, SAN, told the court that the sureties were already aware of the defendant’s plan to visit a hospital in the UK.
“They are aware and we need not put them on notice,” Daudu added.
He drew the court’s attention to the fact that the defendant never breached any of its orders, even as he dismissed the fear of his possible arrest by the Interpol.
After she had listened to both sides, trial Justice Maryann Anenih adjourned for ruling.
Bello, who piloted the affairs of Kogi state from 2016 to 2024, is facing trial over his alleged complicity in N110 billion fraud.
He is facing trial alongside two officials of the Kogi State Government- Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu.
The charge against the defendants, marked CR/7781, borders on conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and possession of unlawfully obtained property.
EFCC alleged that the former governor misused state funds to acquire properties, including No. 35 Danube Street, Maitama District, Abuja (N950 million), No. 1160 Cadastral Zone C03, Gwarimpa II District, Abuja (N100 million), and No. 2 Justice Chukwudifu Oputa Street, Asokoro, Abuja (N920 million).
Other properties the defendants allegedly acquired with funds stolen from the Kogi state treasury, included Block D Manzini Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N170 million), Hotel Apartment Community: Burj Khalifa, Dubai (Five Million, Six Hundred and Ninety-Eight Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty-Eight Dirhams), Block 18, Gwelo Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N60 million), and No. 9 Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N310.4 million).
Likewise, the defendants were accused of transferring $570,330 and $556,265 to TD Bank, USA, and possessing unlawfully obtained property, including N677.8 million from Bespoque Business Solution Limited.
The court had on December 10, 2024, remanded the former governor in Kuje prison, though it granted bail to his co-defendants.
He was later admitted to bail in the sum of N500m with three sureties in like sum.
