Court Grants Yahaya Bello ₦500m Bail

ABUJA- The Federal High Court in Abuja granted bail to Yahaya Bello, the immediate past governor of Kogi State, for ₦500 million with two sureties.

The trial judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, indicated in his ruling that bail is given at the court's discretion.

The former governor of Kogi State entered a not-guilty plea on Friday to the 18-count allegation that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had brought against him.

The charge involves allegations of money laundering, breach of trust, and embezzlement of over N80.2 billion in public monies.

Bello replied that he was not guilty of all 18 counts after the charge was read to him.

EFCC counsel Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, communicated the prosecution's desire to withdraw an earlier application for abridgment of the earlier date set for arraignment to Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, when the case was called for hearing.

He said that circumstances had taken precedence over the application.

But Joseph Daudu, SAN, the defendant's attorney, did not raise any objections, thus Justice Nwite approved the request.