N3bn Fraud: Mix-up Stalls Hearing in Ali Bello, Others’ Bail Request

•Court adjourns to today

•Gov Bello’s wife not a defendant in matter

Alex Enumah in Abuja

A slight mix-up, yesterday, stalled hearing in the bail application filed by Ali Bello and three others in the alleged N3 billion fraud charge brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Ali, a nephew of Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello. was on February 8, 2023, arraigned alongside Abba Adauda, Yakubu Siyaka Adabenege and Iyadai Sadat, on an 18-count criminal charge before Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Following their not guilty plea, Justice Egwuatu, adjourned till February 13 for hearing in their bail application, while ordering for their remand at the correctional center.

When the matter came up yesterday, counsel to the defendants, Mr Ahmed Raji (SAN), told the court that the EFCC had filed a counter affidavit to the bail application.

However, the EFCC counter affidavit, filed on Friday, was not in the court’s file and not at the Registry of the court.

Responding, the EFCC informed the court that the counter affidavit was mistakenly taken to another court, specifically court 7.

After observing that there were no copies of the counter affidavit in his record, the judge, in the light of the mix up, adjourned to February 14, 2023 for hearing of the bail application.

However, contrary to insinuations that the Monday sitting was for ruling on the EFCC case against Ali Bello and 3 others, it was for hearing on the bail application filed by the defendants.

Meanwhile, Governor Yahaya Bello’s wife, Mrs. Rasheedat Bello, was not a defendant in the matter as against a press statement released last Sunday by the EFCC.