Former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, is set to face a fresh 16-count charge of criminal breach of trust involving N110.4 billion, filed at a Federal High Court in Abuja.
The charges, brought under Sections 96 and 311 of the Penal Code Law Cap.89 Laws of Northern Nigeria, 1963, are punishable under Section 312 of the same law.
Alongside the former governor, two senior Kogi State officials, Abdulsalami Hudu and Umar Oricha, are also being charged.
The defendants are accused of diverting state funds from the Kogi State treasury to purchase high-end properties in FCT and Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The former governor’s legal troubles have escalated since his absence at an earlier Federal High Court session in Abuja, where he was being tried for another set of corruption charges.
Count one of the charge read that Bello, Oricha and Hudu, sometime in 2016 in Abuja, agreed amongst themselves to cause to be done an illegal act to wit: criminal breach of trust in respect of the total sum of N110,446, 470, 089.00.
While in count two the defendants were said to have used the total sum of N950 million in 2023, “for the acquisition of a property known as No: 35 Danube Street, Maitama District, Abuja”.
The defendants were accused in count three of using N100 million “for the acquisition of a property known as No: 1160 Cadastral Zone CO3, Gwarimpa 1 District, Abuja” in 2021.
In count four, they were accused of using N920 million “for the acquisition of a property known as No: 2 Justice Chukwudifu Oputa Street, Asokoro, Abuja” in 2020.
While the charges preferred against them in count five alleges that the defendants used N170 million “for the acquisition of a property known as Block D Manzini Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja” in 2022. They allegedly used N100 million “to purchase a property known as No: 1773 Guzape District, Abuja’ in 2018, in count six.
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In count seven, they allegedly used another N100 million “for the acquisition of a property known as No: A02/176 Block 488B, Lome Street, Wuse 1, Abuja” in 2020.
Bello and his accomplices in count eight were said to have in 2020, used N66 million “for the acquisition of a property known as No: 739 Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse 2 at No. 13 Citiscape-Sharriff Plaza, Abuja”.
In count nine, it was alleged that the trio used N550 million “for the acquisition of a property known as No: 2934 A Cadastral Zone A06 also known as No.1 Ikogosi Spring Close, Maitama District, Abuja”, in 2020.
They were said to have also used N650 million “to purchase a property known as No: 1058, Measuring 1450.77 sqm in Cadastral Zone A08, Wuse 2 also Known as NO.2 Durban Street Abuja,” in 2021, in count 10
In count 11, the accused persons were said to have used 5,698,888 Dirhams in 2022 “for the acquisition of a property located at Hotel Apartment Community: Burj Khalifa, lying, being and situated at Plot 160, Municipality NO 345-7562, Sky View Building No.401, Floor4, Dubai U.A. E.”
Count 12 read that the defendants were accused of using N60 million “for the acquisition of a property known as Block 18 (337) flat B Gwelo street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja” in 2016.
Also the defendants in count 13 were alleged to have “dishonestly used the total sum of N310,443,450.00 to renovate a property known as No: 9 Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja” in 2017.
While count 14 alleges that the defendants “dishonestly sent the total sum of $570,330.00 to account No. 4266644272 Domiciled with TD Bank, United States of America” in 2021.
In count 15, they were also alleged to have “sent the total sum of $556,265.00 to account No. 4266644272 domiciled with TD Bank, United States of America”, in 2021.
For count 16, Bello alone was alleged to have had under his control, “the total sum of N677, 848,000 unlawfully obtained from Bespoque Business Solutions Limited” sometime between 2017 and 2018, in Abuja.
The case highlights serious allegations of misuse of public resources for personal gain.
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