The immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, who has been in prison detention since December 10, on Thursday, secured fresh N500million bail from a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, sitting at Maitama.
The court, in the ruling that was delivered by Justice Maryann Anenih, equally ordered him to provide three sureties in the like sum.
It held that the sureties must be owners of landed properties within the high brow areas of Abuja.
Aside from directing the former governor to surrender his international traveling documents, the court held that he should not leave the country without permission.
Bello, who piloted the affairs of Kogi state from 2016 to 2024, is facing trial over his alleged complicity in a N110billion fraud.
He is answering to a 16-count charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, preferred against him and two officials of the Kogi state government- Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu.
The charge against the defendants, marked: CR/7781, borders on conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and possession of unlawfully obtained property.
EFCC alleged that the former governor misused state funds to acquire properties, including No. 35 Danube Street, Maitama District, Abuja (N950 million), No. 1160 Cadastral Zone C03, Gwarimpa II District, Abuja (N100 million), and No. 2 Justice Chukwudifu Oputa Street, Asokoro, Abuja (N920 million).
Other properties the defendants allegedly acquired with funds stolen from the Kogi state treasury, included Block D Manzini Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N170 million), Hotel Apartment Community: Burj Khalifa, Dubai (Five Million, Six Hundred and Ninety-Eight Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty-Eight Dirhams), Block 18, Gwelo Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N60 million), and No. 9 Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N310.4 million).
Likewise, the defendants were accused of transferring $570,330 and $556,265 to TD Bank, USA, and possessing unlawfully obtained property, including N677.8 million from Bespoque Business Solution Limited.
It will be recalled that the Federal High Court in Abuja had earlier granted the erstwhile governor bail in the sum of N500m with two sureties, in relation to another 19-count charge that borders on alleged N80.2billion fraud.
Vanguard
