New charges have been filed against the former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), accusing him of involvement in a N110 billion fraud.
Previously, the EFCC had charged the former governor, along with his nephew Ali Bello, Dauda Suliman, and Abdulsalam Hudu, with 19 counts of money laundering offenses totaling N80,246,470,088.88.
In the new 16 charges dated September 25, obtained on Wednesday, the total amount for the same money laundering offenses has increased to N110,446,470,089.00. Bello, Umar Oricha, and Abdulsalami Hudu are listed as the first to third defendants.
He, alongside other defendants, was alleged to have bought a total of 12 houses in various locations in Abuja with the money.
The trio were alleged to have committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the total sum of N110, 446, 470, 089.00 entrusted to them.
Also, the EFCC said Bello, Oricha and Hudu in 2023, in Abuja, while having dominion over the state’s treasury, dishonestly used the total sum of N950,000,000.00 for the acquisition of a property known as No: 35 Danube Street, Maitama District, Abuja.
The offence, the EFCC said, was contrary to Section 311 of Penal Code Law Cap.89 Laws of Northern Nigeria, 1963 and Punishable under Section 312 of the same Law.
The commission added, “That Bello, Oricha and Hudu sometime in 2021, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, whilst having dominion over the state’s treasury, dishonestly used the total sum of N100,000,000.00 for the acquisition of a property known as No: 1160 Cadastral Zone C03, Gwarimpa II District, Abuja.”
The anti-graft agency, additionally alleged that while having access to the state treasury, the defendants dishonestly used N920,000,000.00 to acquire a property at No. 2 Justice Chukwudifu Oputa Street, Asokoro, Abuja.
The EFCC claims the defendants acquired other properties while managing the state treasury, including a property at Block D, Manzini Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, purchased for N170,000,000.00 in 2022; a N100 million property at No. 1773 Guzape District, Abuja, in 2018; and a N550 million property at No. 2934A Cadastral Zone A06, also known as No. 1 Ikogosi Spring Close, Maitama District, Abuja, in 2020, among others.
The EFCC also reported that in 2021, the defendants dishonestly transferred $570,330.00 and $556,265.00 to account No. 4266644272, held at TD Bank in the United States.
“That Bello, sometime between 2017 and 2018, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, had under your control the total sum of N677 848,000 unlawfully obtained from Bespoque Business Solution Limited,” the charge sheet added.
