Court rejects former Kogi governor Yahaya Bello’s bid to halt N110bn fraud trial

A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court has dismissed an application by the former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, seeking to throw out the ₦110 billion fraud case brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

In her ruling on Tuesday, the presiding judge, Justice Maryann Anenih, affirmed the court’s jurisdiction to entertain the matter and flatly rejected Bello’s request to strike out the 16-count criminal charge.

Bello’s defense counsel, Joseph Daudu, had strongly argued that the FCT High Court lacked the territorial jurisdiction to hear the case. He further contended that the prosecution constituted an abuse of the court process, pointing out that a related criminal case against the former governor is already pending before a Federal High Court in Abuja.

However, EFCC counsel Kemi Pinheiro successfully countered the application, dismissing it as a meritless delay tactic. Pinheiro argued that the offences fall squarely under the Penal Code, making them triable within the FCT court system. He also noted that several properties tied to the alleged fraud are located in Abuja, solidifying the court’s authority over the matter.

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Addressing the claim of double jeopardy, the anti-graft agency clarified that the two ongoing cases are distinct:

The FCT High Court Case: Focuses on conspiracy and criminal breach of trust under the Penal Code, involving Bello and two other co-defendants.

The Federal High Court Case: Focuses strictly on money laundering offenses, with Bello as the sole defendant.

Justice Anenih sided with the EFCC’s submissions, ruling that the court is fully competent to try the case and that the dual charges do not constitute an abuse of court process.

The judge subsequently dismissed Bello’s application, alongside a similar motion filed by the third defendant, which was also struck out for lacking merit. Following the ruling, the court ordered the prosecution to move forward immediately with its case, calling its 16th witness to the stand.