There is no reprieve yet for former Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.
A HIgh Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama yesterday ordered that Bello be remanded in the Kuje correctional centre, Abuja pending his bail application.
By the court’s ruling, Bello may remain in prison till January 29 when the court adjourned proceedings in the criminal case involving him.
Bello is standing trial, along with two others, in a 16-count charge brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The three are accused of criminal breach of trust to the tune of N110,446,470,089.
In an earlier ruling yesterday, Justice Maryanne Anenih faulted the competence of Bello’s bail application and held that it was filed prematurely.
Justice Anenih held that the application, having been filed when Bello was neither in custody nor before the court, his application was incompetent.
She said: “Consequently, the instant application, having been filed prematurely is hereby refused.”
Bello’s bail application was filed on November 22 before he was arrested on November 26 and arraigned on November 27.
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Justice Anenih held that by the provision of Section 158 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), the condition for applying for bail did not exist when the application was filed.
She held by the provision of the ACJA, bail application could only be filed when a person has been arrested, detained, arraigned or brought before the court.
The judge said: “The instant application for bail showed that it was filed on 22nd November, 2024.
“This shows that it was filed days before the first defendant was taken into custody,” she sad.
The judge then held that the application is premature having been filed when Bello was not yet arrested, detained or brought before the court.
In two other rulings, Justice Anenih granted bail to each of the two co-defendants – Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu –
at N300m with two sureties in like sum.
The judge said the sureties must have property worth the said amount within the court’s jurisdiction.
She said the original title documents of the property must be deposited with the court after verification by court’s officials.
The sureties are also to submit two passport photographs each to the court.
The judge ordered Oricha and Hudu to deposit their passports with the court’s Registrar and must not travel out of the country without the court’s permission.