The Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Wednesday, February 8, 2023, arraigned one
Ali Bello, a nephew of Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, before Justice Obiora
Egwuatu of a Federal High Court Abuja.
Bello was docked
alongside Abba Adauda, Yakubu Siyaka Adabenege, Iyada Sadat, Rashida Bello (at
large) on 18 count charge bordering on criminal misappropriation and moneylaundering to the tune of N3,081,804,654.00 (Three Billion, Eighty One Million,
Eight Hundred and Four Thousand, Six Hundred and Fifty Four Naira.
Bello, Adaudu,
Adabenege, Sadat and Rashida (at large) sometime in June, 2020 in Abuja
procured E- Traders International Limited to retain the aggregate sum of
N3,081,804,654.00 (Three Billion, Eighty One Million, Eight Hundred and Four
Thousand, Six Hundred and Fifty Four Naira) which sum they reasonably ought to
have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful activity.
Similarly, the
defendants sometime in November, 2021 in Abuja procured E-Traders International
Limited to transfer the aggregate sum of $570,330 (Five Hundred and Seventy
Thousand, Three Hundred and Thirty United States Dollars) to account number no;
426-6644272 domiciled in TD Bank, United States of America, which sum they
reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful activity to
with: criminal misappropriation, and thereby committed an offence contrary to
section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and
punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act.
The defendants pleaded
“not guilty” to all the charges preferred against them.
In view of their pleas,
Prosecuting Counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, urged the court to give a trial date
to enable the prosecution to prove its case.
However, defence
counsel, Ahmed Raji SAN, prayed the court to grant his client bail pending the
hearing and determination of the case.
Justice Egwuatu adjourned the case till 13 February, 2023 and ordered that the defendants be remanded in a Correctional Centre pending the determination of the bail application.
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