The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, adjourned the N3billion fraud trial of Ali Bello, nephew of Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello and three others till April 16. Justice Obiora Egwuatu adjourned hearing in the case after ruling on the defendants’ bail applications. The court granted the defendants bail in the sum of N500million each and two sureties in like sum.
The sureties must reside in Abuja, with identifiable addresses and own landed property worth N500 million within the jurisdiction of the court. They are to further provide evidence of tax payment from 2020 to 20222 and deposit the original title documents in respect of the property with the Registrar of the court. In addition, the defendants are to deposit their international passports with the court and must obtain the permission of the court to travel outside the jurisdiction.
Bello was on February 8, arraigned buy the EFCC alongside Abba Adauda, Yakubu Siyaka Adabenege, Iyadai Sadat and Rashida Bello (at large) on 18-counts of criminal misappropriation and money laundering to the tune of N3,081,804,654.00 (Three Billion, Eighty One Million, Eight Hundred and Four Thousand, Six Hundred and Fifty Four Naira).
