Court rejects Yahaya Bello’s bail application

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court has struck out the bail application filed by former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello.

The presiding judge, Justice Maryann Anenih, struck out the bail application on Tuesday, December 10, 2024.

Justice Anenih struck out the application on the ground that it was filed when Bello was yet to be taken into the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The application was filed on November 22 while the former governor was taken into EFCC custody on November 26 and arraigned on November 27.

Justice Anenih had, on November 27, remanded Bello in the custody of EFCC until today (December 10).

The judge gave the order after fixing December 10 for ruling on the bail application filed by Bello and two other defendants.

Justice Anenih fixed the date after the prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), and the defence counsel, Joseph Daudu (SAN), presented their arguments for and against the bail application.

Court rejects EFCC’s request to arraign Yahaya Bello without lawyers

Bello and the co-defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, had pleaded not guilty to the 16-count charges filed against them by the EFCC.

Bello, who is the first defendant, denied the allegations levelled against him when the counts were read by the court registrar.

After taking their plea, the defence counsel moved an application for bail.

But Pinheiro opposed the application, arguing that it had expired in October.

Responding, Daudu said the only relevant application before the court was the motion for bail in respect of the first defendant, which was filed on November 22.

Relying on all the paragraphs of the affidavit, he added that the bail application was also supported with a written address.

Justice Anenih, thereafter, adjourned ruling in the bail application until December 10 and directed that the three defendants should remain in EFCC custody.

The Star