On Thursday, the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, granted N500m bail to the immediate-past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, who is being tried for alleged N10.4bn fraud.
The court also ordered the ex-governor to deposit his passport for it ruled that he cannot travel out of the country except with its permission.
Bello, alongside Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalam Hudu, is facing 16 counts bordering on conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and possession of unlawfully obtained property.
They were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on November 27 but pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Earlier, Justice MaryAnne Anenih had, on December 10 rejected Bello’s original bail application, holding that it was premature and unprocedural, having been filed before the ex-governor was arrested or brought before the court.
The judge, however, granted bail to the co-defendants in the sum of N300m each and adjourned the matter till January.
On Thursday, however, Bello, through his lawyer, J. B. Daudu (SAN), presented a fresh bail application, which the judge heard and granted. Justice Anenih granted the bail with three sureties in like sum.
The judge said the sureties must be responsible citizens who are landowners in Maitama, Guzape, Apo, Wuse 2, Garki, Utako or Asokoro areas of Abuja.
She ordered that the sureties must deposit the documents of the landed property with the court registrar alongside two recent passport photographs.
She also ordered Bello to deposit his passport and other travel documents, pronouncing: “The first defendant must not travel without the permission of this court and he shall remain in the Kuje correctional facility until the bail conditions are met.”
The judge ordered Bello to deposit two copies of his recent passport photograph alongside a photocopy of a means of identification which could be either his passport or national I.D card.
Earlier when the case was called, Bello’s lawyer, J.B. Daudu (SAN) had informed the judge of the fresh bail application, adding that the prosecution and the defence had discussed and were committed to a speedy trial.
The prosecution counsel, Olukayode Enitan (SAN), confirmed that the prosecution and the defence had been in talks, adding that the prosecution would not oppose the bail application but leave it at the judge’s discretion.
“As with the legal tradition that we should cooperate with members of the bar when it does not affect the course of justice, we have decided not to make this contentious, bearing in mind that no matter how industrious the defence counsel might be in pushing forward the application for bail and no matter how vociferous the prosecution counsel can argue against the bail application, Your Lordship is bound by your discretion to grant or not to grant the application. We are therefore leaving this to Your Lordship’s discretion.”
After listening to both counsels, Justice Anenih granted the bail application and adjourned till January 29 and 30 for trial.