The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on Thursday, included the name of immediate past Governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello, in a 17-count amended charge it filed at the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
Ab initio, the EFCC had instituted a criminal charge against Alli Bello, currently Chief of Staff to Kogi State Governor and Daudu Suleiman, upon which they were being prosecuted before filing an amended Charge.
Former Governor Bello was not a defendant in the initial charge.
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In the amended charge, the EFCC is claiming the accused persons allegedly diverted about N100 billion belonging to the Kogi state government in September 2015.
In the first count, former Governor Yahaya Bello, Alli Bello and Dauda Suleman were accused of conspiring with each other in September 2015, and converted N80, 246, 470, 089 to their personal use.
They were alleged to have contavened section 18 (a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 because they ought to have reasonably known that the money was a product of fraud and criminal breach of public trust.
In other charges, Alli Bello and Dauda Suleman were alleged to have concealed several millions of naira with one Rabiu Musa Tafada, a Bureau De Change BDC operator trading under Global Venture in Abuja.
At a resumed trial, Alli Bello through his counsel, A.M. Aliyu, SAN, had objected to reading of the amended charges.
However, the plea of the defendants was taken by Justice James Kolawole Omotoso.
Earlier, Aliyu had raised objection that the anti-graft agency failed woefully to comply with Section 218 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.
He submitted that a copy of the amended charge was not served on them as required by the provisions of the ACJA Act.
But responding, the EFCC lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo SAN, asked the court to reject the argument of the defendants’ lawyer, adding that the court had on its own endorsed the amendment.
In a brief ruling, Justice Omotoso recalled that he had granted accelerated hearing in the matter and had also ordered that all forms of objections must be kept in abeyance till address stage.
At this point, Aliyu applied that one of the EFCC witnesses, Edward Fanada, be recalled for fresh cross examination in view of the contents of the amended charge.
Justice Omotoso granted the application, which was not opposed by the EFCC lawyer.
