The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court has refused to grant bail to the former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.
The presiding judge, Justice Maryam Anenih, complained that the application for bail was struck out on the grounds that it was filed when the former governor was yet to be taken into custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The application was filed on November 22, while the former governor was taken into custody of the anti-graft agency on November 26 and arraigned on November 27.
Justice Anenih ruled that the “instant application for bail showed that it was filed on the 22nd of November. This shows that it was filed several days after the 1st defendant was taken into custody.”
She said that the relevant provision says that a bail application could be made when a defendant had been arrested, detained, arraigned, or brought before the court.
Meanwhile, the second defendant, Umar Oricha was granted bail in the sum of N300 million with two sureties.
The court ordered that the sureties must be a holder of a property in Maitama, valued at not less than the bond sum, and must deposit their original title documents before the court
Yahaya Bello is standing trial, along with two others, in an alleged N110 billion money laundering.
