A federal high court in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has granted a N500m bail to former governor of Kohi state, Yahaya Bello
Yahaya Bello has remained in prison detention since December 10, following the earlier refusal of the trial judge, Justice Maryan Anenih to admit his bail request in the 19 count charges against him bothering on illegal acquisition of state government fund
Justice Anenih had earlier ruled that the former governor he remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre till February 25 and 27 when the case was earlier adjourned for
But the same Federal Capital Territory, FCT, court sitting at Maitama granted the former governor bail in Thursday
The court, in the ruling that was delivered by Justice Maryann Anenih, equally ordered Bello to provide three sureties in the like sum.
It held that the sureties must be owners of landed properties within the high brow areas of Abuja.
Aside from directing the former governor to surrender his international traveling documents, the court held that he should not leave the country without permission.
Bello, was governor of Kogi state between 2016 to 2024
The EFCC had arraigned him and two others of fraud and misappropriation of state funds
The charge against the defendants, marked: CR/7781, borders on conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and possession of unlawfully obtained property.
EFCC alleged that the former governor misused state funds to acquire properties, including No. 35 Danube Street, Maitama District, Abuja (N950 million), No. 1160 Cadastral Zone C03, Gwarimpa II District, Abuja (N100 million), and No. 2 Justice Chukwudifu Oputa Street, Asokoro, Abuja (N920 million).
Other properties the defendants allegedly acquired with funds stolen from the Kogi state treasury, included Block D Manzini Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N170 million), Hotel Apartment Community: Burj Khalifa, Dubai (Five Million, Six Hundred and Ninety-Eight Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty-Eight Dirhams), Block 18, Gwelo Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N60 million), and No. 9 Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N310.4 million).
Likewise, the defendants were accused of transferring $570,330 and $556,265 to TD Bank, USA, and possessing unlawfully obtained property, including N677.8 million from Bespoque Business Solution Limited.