The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Thursday, granted N500m bail to the immediate-past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, who is being tried for alleged N10.4bn fraud.
The judge ordered the ex-governor to deposit his passport, ruling that he cannot travel out of the country except with the permission of the court.
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.
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.
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.
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