The immediate former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello has arrived at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja for the hearing on alleged N110 billion fraud preferred against him.
Bello, who was declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in April 2024, was arrested on Tuesday and brought to court to face charges of criminal breach of trust and other related offenses.
Credible News earlier reported that Bello went to the EFCC headquarters on Tuesday morning with his lawyers to answer to the allegations of misappropriation of funds against him after months of shunning repeated invitations.
It was learnt that the former governor went to the EFCC office with his lawyers without his successor, Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State, who followed him to the EFCC office few weeks ago.
This followed the Supreme Court judgment which dismissed states’ case on the constitutionality of the anti-graft agency.
READ ALSO: Finally, EFCC cages Yahaya Bello
The EFCC had been investigating the former governor since his tenure ended earlier this year, culminating in his arrest and arraignment.
At the last hearing on November 14, the EFCC had sought adjournment to Wednesday, November 27 in the fresh case it instituted against Bello, saying the 30-day window was still running for the summons earlier issued.
The EFCC, however, admitted his co-defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, to administrative bail and prayed to the court for an extension of time for the 1st Defendant to appear.
The case, marked FCT/HC/CR/778/24, involves allegations of financial mismanagement totaling N110,446,470,089. Bello is charged alongside two co-defendants, Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalam Hudu.
Since filing the charges against the former governor, the commission has not been able to bring him to court for arraignment.
The commission had initially filed 19 charges against Bello, along with his nephews Ali Bello, Dauda Suliman and Abdulsalam Hudu for money laundering offences amounting to over N80bn.
Credible News.ng
