The immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has been remanded by a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja
The court ordered the remand Bello alongside his two co-defendants in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Maryanne Anenih, who issued the order on Wednesday, said Bello and others should remain in EFCC custody until December 10 when she planned to rule on the ex-governor’s and the co-defendants’ bail applications.
Bello on Wednesday entered his plea to a 16-count charge ordering on his alleged complicity in a N110billion fraud.
He has pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him by the EFCC
The erstwhile governor’s whereabouts remained unknown untill yesterday when he was arrested and detained by the anti-graft agency.
The development ends a protracted hide-and-seek game between him and the commission.
Dressed in white caftan and blue cap, was marshalled into the court premises by armed operatives of the EFCC before 9am, for his arraignment.
He is currently being docked before trial Justice Maryann Anenih, alongside his two co-defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu.
The scheduled arraignment began on a dramatic note on Wednesday as Justice Maryann Anenih walked out over rowdiness caused by huge crowd in the court room.
Justice Anenih, who came in to take the plea of the former governor and his co-defendants, rose abruptly and announced not to come back until there is sanity in the court room.
However, shortly after the judge left the court room, Bello who sat in the front of the court room stood up and moved to the surging crowd.
He immediately directed his followers and sympathisers to vacate their seats and leave the court room.
The charge against the defendants, marked: CR/7781, borders on conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and possession of unlawfully obtained property.
Specifically, the 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).
More so, 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.
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