Appeal court orders Yahaya Bello to face fraud charges

The Court of Appeal, Abuja, on Tuesday, August 20, ordered the former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, to present himself for trial.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in April moved to arraign the former governor for alleged N80 billion fraud at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

He was charged with a 19-count charge of money laundering alongside three other suspects – Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman, and Abdulsalam Hudu.

This followed a warrant of arrest and enrolment order granted to the EFCC by the court on April 17.

Bello had earlier approached the Kogi State High Court to stop his arrest.

The appellate court gave the order while ruling on an appeal filed by the EFCC against the judgment of Justice Isah Abdullahi Jamil of the lower court which restrained the commission from arresting Bello.

In the ruling delivered by Justice Ken Amadi, the appeal court also restrained the former governor from taking any further actions regarding the charges against him until he has been formally arraigned.

He described as scandalous the lower court’s ruling which held that the purpose of the case was to shield the Bello from his criminal trial.

The judge declared that the EFCC appeal was meritorious and was allowed.