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April 23, 2024
The EFCC has been making efforts to arraign Bello on 19 counts bordering on alleged money laundering, breach of trust and misappropriation of funds to the tune of N80.2 billion.
The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has said he will resign from office if former Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello is not eventually prosecuted for the fraud allegations levelled against him.
The EFCC boss disclosed this during an interactive session with media executives at the EFCC Headquarters in the Jabi area of Abuja on Tuesday.
“I’m so passionate about the need for us to move forward in this country.
“The particulars of his case are there. It is before the court. He removed money directly to bureau de change, used it to pay the child’s school fees in advance – dollars.”
He said he honoured Bello by calling him personally to come to his office to defend the allegations but he declined.
The EFCC has been making efforts to arraign Bello on 19 counts bordering on alleged money laundering, breach of trust and misappropriation of funds to the tune of N80.2 billion
SaharaReporters earlier reported that Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, ordered EFCC to serve a copy of the 19 criminal counts against the fleeing Yahaya Bello on his lawyer.
Justice Nwite gave the order on Tuesday following the absence of Bello in court for his arraignment, relying on provisions of Section 382(4) and (5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2015.
The trial judge directed the lawyer who announced an unconditional appearance for the defendant, Mr Abdulwab Mohammed, SAN, to receive a copy of the charge, on behalf of his client.
Justice Nwite on April 17, in an ex-parte order granted the EFCC an order to immediately arrest and bring the former governor to court for arraignment.
"That the order of this honourable court is hereby made directing and /or issuing a warrant for the immediate arrest of the Defendant for the purpose of bringing him before this honourable court for arraignment," the court said.
Since then, the former governor has gone into hiding.
SaharaReporters in December 2023 exclusively reported how the EFCC seized the $760,910.84 that Bello paid to American International School, Abuja, as school fees in advance for four children until graduation, over alleged money laundering.
Documents obtained by SaharaReporters on show that Governor Bello through his nephew, Mr Ali Bello had entered an agreement with the school to pay tuition for his four children up to graduation in advance to secure their future.
The agreement was signed and executed on August 23, 2021. Following the execution of the agreement, a total of $845.852.84 was paid into the school account in varied instalments.
However, the anti-corruption agency as part of its oversight function, subsequently invited the school authorities for a series of interviews connected with the funds through a letter dated September 7, 2023, after about one year.
