Judiciary
THE Federal High Court, Abuja has fixed Feb. 20 to rule on the bail applications by Ali Bello and three others standing trial in an alleged N3 billion fraud charge brought against them by the Federal Government.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu fixed the date after counsel representing parties argued for and against granting the bail application of the defendants.
Arguing on behalf of the defendants, Mr Ahmed Raji, SAN, observed that the charge brought against his clients was bailable.
The senior lawyer, however, acknowledged that bail was at the discretion of the court and prayed the court to exercise its discretion in favour of the defendants.
Raji submitted that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the prosecuting agency, had been investigating the defendants in the last one year without any interference from them.
He said that the anti-graft agency on its own admitted the defendants to administrative bail prior to their arraignment and that throughout the period they did nothing untoward.
The counsel further argued that the EFCC granted one of the defendants permission to travel to Saudi Arabia and that the defendant had since returned to face trial.
He dismissed the allegations by EFCC that the defendants were a flight risk and would tamper with witnesses if granted bail on the grounds that there was no evidence to back it.
Raji prayed the court to admit the defendants to bail in liberal terms.
Arguing on behalf of the prosecuting agency, Mr M. K. Husseini opposed the bail application on the grounds that the defendants would tamper with evidence as well as interfere with witnesses.
Husseini also argued that the defendants were likely going to jump bail and not make themselves available for trial and urged the court to deny them bail.
In a short ruling, Justice Egwuatu fixed ruling on the bail application for Feb. 20.
Bello, a nephew of Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi was on Feb. 8, arraigned alongside Abba Adauda, Yakubu Adabenege and Iyadai Sadat, on an 18 count criminal charge bordering on money laundering.
They all pleaded not guilty to the charge and the judge ordered their remand at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing and determination of their bail application.
Count one of the 18-count charge read in part; ” Procuring, “E- Traders International Limited to retain the aggregate sum of N3,081,804,654.00 which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful activity to wit:
“Criminal misappropriation, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to sections 18(a), 15(20)(d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act.
“Procuring, “E-Traders International Limited to transfer the aggregate sum of $570,330 to account number no; 426-6644272 domiciled in TD Bank, United States of America, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful activity to with:
“Criminal misappropriation, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act”, in count three.”(NAN)
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Tags: Federal High Court Justice Obiora Egwuatu
