Ali Bello , a nephew to the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello has been remanded in prison by Justice Obiora Egwuatu following his arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Bello was arraigned alongside Abba Adauda, Yakubu Siyaka Adabenege, Iyada Sadat and Rashida Bello on an 18 count charge bordering on criminal misappropriation and money laundering to the tune of N3.81 billion.
The Charges
Count one of the charge reads: “That you, ALI BELLO, ABBA ADAUDU, YAKUBU SIYAKA ADABENEGE, IYADA SADAT, RASHIDA BELLO (at large) sometime in June, 2020 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court 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 you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful activity to wit: criminal misappropriation, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to sections 18(a), 15(20)(d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act.
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Count 3 read, “That you, ALI BELLO, ABBA ADAUDU, RASHIDA BELLO (at large) sometime in November, 2021 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court 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 you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful activity to with: criminal misappropriation, and you 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.”
Upon arraignment, they pleaded not guilty to all the charges against them.
The prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN urged the court to give a trial date to facilitate the prosecution to ascertain its case.
Ahmed Raji SAN, the defence counsel prayed the court to grant his client bail pending the hearing and determination of the case.
Court`s decision
The presiding judge however ordered the defendants to be remanded in a correctional centre pending the determination of the bail application.
He then adjourned the case till February 13, 2023.
