N3bn Fraud: Kogi Gov’s Wife, Nephew Know Fate as Trial Resumes Today

*Bawa baselessly fixated on us, says state government

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

The money laundering trial of two family members of the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, who were his wife, Rashida Bello (still at large) and nephew, Ali Bello, resumes today before Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
But the Kogi State government has lambasted the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, for what it called baseless fixation on the state’s affairs with spurious allegations in a bid to satisfy certain political interests.
Ali Bello was among four defendants remanded upon arraignment on February 8, 2023 on 18-count charge bordering on criminal misappropriation and money laundering to the tune of  N3,081,804,654.00.

The other defendants were Abba Adauda, Yakubu Siyaka Adabenege and Iyada Sadat.
Count one of the charge read: “That you, Ali Bello, Abba Adaudu, Yakubu Siyaka Adagbenege, Iyada Sadat Rashida Bello (at large) sometime in June, 2020 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court procured E- Traders International Limited to retain the aggregate sum of N3,081,804,654.00 which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful activity to wit: criminal misappropriation, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to sections 18(a), 15(20)(d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act.”

Count 3 stated thus: “That you, Ali Bello, Abba Adaudu, Rashida Bello (at large) sometime in November, 2021 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court procured E-Traders International Limited to transfer the aggregate sum of $570,330 to account number no; 426-6644272 domiciled in TD Bank, United States of America, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful activity to with: criminal misappropriation, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act.”

Count 17 listed as, “That you, Ali Bello, Abba Adaudu, Rashida Bello (at large) between 26th July, 2021-6th April, 2022 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court procured E-Traders International Limited to remove from the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court to account no. 426-664-4272 domiciled in TD Bank, United States of America, the aggregate sum of $570,330  which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of unlawful activity to wit; criminal misappropriation, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2) ( c ) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15 ( 3 )of the same Act.”

Count 18 further read, “That you, Ali Bello  Abba Adaudu, Rashida Bello (at large) between 26th July 2021 -6th April, 2022 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court procured E-Traders International Limited to remove from the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court to account no. 426-664-4272 domiciled in TD Bank, United States of America, the aggregate sum of $845,852.84  which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of unlawful activity to wit; criminal misappropriation, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2)(c ) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15 ( 3 ) of the same Act.”

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges, and in view of their pleas, prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), urged the court to give a trial date to enable the prosecution to prove its case.
Defence counsel, Ahmed Raji (SAN), prayed the court to grant his client bail pending the hearing and determination of the case.
But Justice Egwuatu remanded them and adjourned the case till today, February 13, 2023, for hearing and determination of their bail applications, a statement issued by the spokesman of EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said.

Meanwhile, the Kogi State government, in a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, said it was sad that an agency charged with the responsibility of fighting graft in the country had turned itself into a pawn in the hands of political opponents of the Kogi State government with untamed desperation to damage the integrity of the governor and the government of the state.
It said the shadow chasing by the EFCC and their known and unknown sponsors would not distract the current administration in the state from serving the people.
In a statement titled: “EFCC has become an embarrassment to Nigeria”, the state government called on the Inspector-General of Police to immediately effect the arrest of Bawa and commit him to prison as ruled by a competent court.

“Allowing convicts to roam about the society portends a great danger to our judicial system. Rasheed Bawa cannot be allowed to continue to disobey court orders at will while also evading justice. Let justice be done,” the statement stated.

Fanwo noted that the EFCC was known for media trial and that no amount of such would distract Governor Bello from recording more successes in the state.

“The latest shenanigans of the EFCC is to accuse some members of the Governor’s family of corruption, arrest them without any prior invitation or warrant and against extant Court Orders restraining them from so doing and charge them to court.

“This has further exposed the uncivilised, unconstitutional and unethical practices of the anti-graft agency. Their latest approach has further confirmed to Nigerians that they have an institutional agenda against the governor and Government of Kogi State,” he said.

According to him, Nigerians had become wiser now and they knew when an operation was politically motivated.

“We reiterate that funds belonging to the Kogi State Government are not missing and we retain our enviable status in the areas of transparency, accountability and probity. The shadow chasing by the EFCC and their known and unknown sponsors will not distract our administration from serving our people.

“The seeming attack on governors that are committed to the victory of the APC Presidential Candidate by the anti-graft agency is well understood by discerning Nigerians. No force can stop the voice of the people,” the state government added.