Former Kogi State Governor Fails to Appear in Court for Arraignment on Money Laundering Charges

Former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, was expected to appear in court today for arraignment on charges of money laundering alongside co-accused Ali Bello, Dauda Suliman, and Abdulsalam Hudu.

The accusations date back to February 2016 when the group allegedly conspired to convert a significant sum of money obtained through criminal breach of trust.

Rotimi Oyedepo, serving as counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), presented the allegations before the judge, detailing the violations of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended.

Among the specific charges were Yahaya Bello’s alleged involvement in aiding E-Traders International Limited to conceal unlawfully obtained funds in an Access Bank account and transferring money to a TD Bank account in the USA.

During the court proceedings, Adeola Adedipe, standing in for Yahaya Bello, raised concerns about a potential miscommunication regarding the arraignment date, proposing a further adjournment to June 27 for convenience.

Meanwhile, Oyedepo expressed discontent over the delay, emphasizing the need for compliance with the court’s orders and urging the defense to apologize for the absence of the ex-governor.

Ultimately, the judge accepted the apology and set a new arraignment date of June 27, with a fresh undertaking that Yahaya Bello will be present in court.

The EFCC and various security agencies had previously declared Bello wanted, citing challenges in locating and apprehending him for legal proceedings.

These developments come amidst the ongoing trial of Bello’s nephew, Ali Bello, and others for alleged fraud involving a significant sum of public funds.

While the legal battle continues between Bello’s defense team and the EFCC, the criminal case against him is poised to move forward as scheduled by the trial court.