By Itopa Lawal

The immediate past Executive Governor of Kogi State, Mallam Yahaya Bello, will celebrate Christmas and New year in Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja.

This is because a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court has remanded him.in prison pending the determination of his bail application in January 2025.

The presiding judge, Justice Maryann Anenih, ordered the remand of Bello on Tuesday, December 10, 2024.

Justice Anenih adjourned the case until January 29, February 25, and February 27, 2025, respectively for the continuation of the hearing.

Justice Anenih had refused to grant a bail application filed by Bello, saying it was filed prematurely.

The former governor is standing trial, alongside two others, in an alleged N110 billion money laundering charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The judge also admitted Umar Oricha and Abdulsalam Hudu to bail in the sum of N300 million each with two sureties.

Justice Anenih, while delivering a ruling, said having been filed when Bello was neither in custody nor before the court, the instant application was incompetent.

“Consequently, the instant application having been filed prematurely is hereby refused,” the judge said.

Court rejects Yahaya Bello’s bail application

Recalling the arguments before the court on the bail application, the judge stated: “Before the court is a motion on notice, dated and filed on November 22.

“The first defendant seeks an order of this honourable court admitting him to bail pending the hearing and determination of the charge.

“That he became aware of the instant charge through the public summons. That he is a two-term governor of Kogi State. That if released on bail, he would not interfere with the witnesses and not jump bail.”

Justice Anenih said the defence counsel, JB Daudu (SAN), had told the court that he had submitted sufficient facts to grant the bail.

Daudu urged the court to exercise its discretion judicially and judiciously to grant the bail.

Opposing the bail application, the prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), said the instant application was grossly incompetent, having been filed before arraignment.

He said it ought to be filed after arraignment but Bello’s lawyer disagreed, saying there was no authority

Justice Anenih held that the instant application for bail showed that it was filed several days after Bello was taken into custody.

Citing the ACJA, the judge said the provision provided that an application for bail could be made when a defendant had been arrested, detained, arraigned or brought before the court.