Details have emerged of a fresh suit of alleged fraud of N110,446,470,089.00 slammed on former Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State and two officials of the state government by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The EFCC on Wednesday filed fresh 16-count fraud charge against Bello and teo others before an FCT High Court, Daily.
The charges, which were filed by the Federal Government through counsels for the EFCC, Kemi Pinheiro, Rotimi Oyedepo both Senior Advocates of Nigeria and seven other lawyers.
Also joined in the suit are Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalam Hudu as defendants.
The fresh charges were coming on the heels of the former governor’s absence at a Federal High Court, Abuja where he was being tried for alleged charges to the tune of N80.2billion when he held sway in the state.
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In a fresh charge sheet, the anti-graft agency revealed that it had uncovered alleged fresh fraud against the former governor to the tune of N110,446,470,089.00.
Details of the fresh charges are as follow : “That you, YAHAYA ADOZA BELLO, UMAR SHUAIBU ORICHA and ABDULSALAMI HUDU sometimes in 2016 in Abuja, within the jurisdictions of this Honourable Court agreed amongst yourselves to cause to be done an illegal act to wit : criminal breach of trust in respect of the total sum N110,446,470,089.00 entrusted to you,” the charge sheet reads.
This is said to contravene sections 96 and 311 of the Penal Code Law Cap. 89 of Northern Nigeria, 1963, with penalties under Section 312 of the same law.
The EFCC accused Bello, along with two co-defendants, Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalam Hudu, of conspiring to commit a criminal breach of trust involving the misappropriation of public funds.
The document further revealed that the fraud allegedly took place in 2016, while Bello was still in office.
The EFCC claims that the trio collaborated in an illegal act to misappropriate over N110 billion in public funds.
The agency alleged in various counts that ex-governor Bello dishonestly acquired for himself properties located in choice areas of Abuja and one in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with funds he allegedly diverted from the state government’s treasury.
It added that the former governor took N100 million from the government’s treasury to buy himself a property at 1160 Cadastral Zone C03, Gwarimpa II, Abuja, in 2021.
It also alleged that he bought another property at 35, Danubi Street, Maitama, Abuja, for himself with N950 million belonging to the state in 2023.
He allegedly bought another one at #2, Justice Chukwudifu Oputa Street, Asokoro, Abuja, with N920 million belonging to the state in 2020.
At the Wednesday, September 25, 2024 hearing at the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja the EFCC prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, told Justice Emeka Nwite that the recent appearance of Bello at the agency’s parking lots was not in order as both the trial court and Court of Appeal had clearly ordered him to present himself for arraignment in the N80.2billion money laundering charges preferred against him by the EFCC.
According to Pinheiro, “There is nowhere my Lordship or the Court of Appeal ordered that Yahaya Bello present himself at the EFCC car park, but rather to appear before my Lordship for arraignment.
“What is even more worrisome and disconcerting is that the defendant went to the EFCC car park holding the hands of a person with immunity who came with all the full security of his office.
“The implication, my Lord, is if there was an attempt to get him from the person of immunity, there would be an invitation to anarchy.
“The invitation by the EFCC later in the day for Yahaya Bello to come alone, not with a person with immunity, security persons and other people was resisted again on their own admission.”
Pinheiro further added that, “My Lord, we wrote a letter to the defendant’s lawyers drawing our colleagues’ attention that arraignment is not conducted in EFCC’s car park, but the defendant should be in court today according to the judgment of the Court of Appeal and this honourable court’s ruling.”
In addition, he also urged the judge to demonstrate his might and exercise his power to show Bello’s counsel, A.M Agboyi, that the “court is not a vaudeville for entertainment but for serious business”.
The EFCC lawyer said, “This court is not a vaudeville, a vaudeville is a place of diverse entertainment. I want to borrow the words of Justice Uwaifo that no party should make a court a place of entertainment. The court must resist it. It is a place of serious and solemn business.”
He specifically sought the order of the court for Agboyi to be sanctioned and referred to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) for turning the court to a vaudeville.
He said, “My Lord, it is against this backdrop that I will make this assertion that my learned friend wants to turn this place to an entertainment place or a casino.
“I want the court to use its power against him because his senior advocates have left and they pushed him so that it will serve as a lesson to others.”
He also sought leave of the court to proceed to the trial of Bello in absentia.
Meanwhile, Abdul Mohammed (SAN), counsel for Adeola Adedipe (SAN), craved the indulgence of the court to exercise its discretion not to charge Adedipe for contempt.
“Our application is filed on the 18th of July 2024, it is supported by an 11-paragraph affidavit deposed to by the applicant Mr. Adeola Adedipe.
“That affidavit has an exhibit marked A, and in compliance with my Lord is a written address.
“We are urging my Lord to exercise his discretion, we are on bended knees begging you to exercise your discretion and grant the prayers that are contained in the affidavit,” he said.
After listening to the lawyers, Justice Nwite stressed that “the matter is slated for arraignment, and it seems it has gone back to square one.
“It’s been over five months now and I don’t know how the case is going.
“With the submission made by counsels this morning, it’s quite unfortunate, but I have to reserve my comments, I have to reserve judgement on the submission of these counsels.”
He thereafter adjourned the matter till October 30, 2024, for arraignment and ruling. (vitalnewsngr.com)
