Court summons Yahaya Bello for alleged N110 billion fraud

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on Thursday summoned the former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, for arraignment on October 24.

Bello will be charged along with Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu following 16 new charges filed against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Bello was previously declared wanted after Judge Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja issued a warrant for his arrest on April 17.

Bello continuously failed to appear before Judge Nwite’s court where he faced 19 charges bordering on money laundering and misappropriation of funds to the tune of N80.2 billion.

Judge Maryanne Anenih, before whom new charges were filed against the former governor, ruled on Thursday that Bello must appear in court to answer the new 16 charges against him.

Justice Anenih’s summons follows a request by the EFCC that it should not have served Bello with the charge sheet filed on September 24, accusing Bello and the other defendants of criminal breach of trust amounting to N110.4 billion.

While delivering the judgment, Justice Anenih directed the EFCC to publish the public summons in a widely circulated newspaper.

She also directed the EFCC to post copies of the public summons at Bello’s last known address and at conspicuous places in the courthouse.

Bello was scheduled to appear in court Thursday for his arraignment on the new charges filed against him, but his absence delayed the scheduled arraignment.

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