Yahaya Bello denies allegations of fraud, pleads not guilty to EFCC charges
Former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello and his co-defendants pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to a 16-count charge brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Appearing before Justice Maryann Anenih at the Abuja High Court, Bello, the primary defendant, denied the accusations as the charges were read out. Following their plea, Bello’s counsel, Joseph Daudu, SAN, submitted a bail application on his behalf.
EFCC counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, opposed the bail request, arguing that the initial application had expired in October. However, Daudu clarified that a new motion for bail, specifically for Bello, had been filed on November 22. He cited the defendant’s voluntary court appearance as evidence of his respect for the law, emphasizing that the application was supported by relevant documents, including an affidavit and written address.
While the EFCC pushed for an immediate commencement of the trial, Daudu requested additional time to prepare, stating the defense only received the charges late on November 26. He also argued that under the principle of presumed innocence, Bello should be granted bail to prepare adequately for his defense.
Daudu dismissed the prosecution’s objection, which referenced Bello’s failure to appear in a separate Federal High Court case, asserting that issues from another court should not influence proceedings at the FCT High Court. He also argued that when a court’s jurisdiction is contested, a defendant is not required to appear until the matter is resolved.
Pinheiro countered, asserting that the bail application lacked merit and failed to adhere to judicial principles. He anchored his opposition on the application’s competence, its factual basis, and relevant judicial guidelines.
Meanwhile, NAN reported that two other defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, had previously been granted administrative bail by the EFCC.
