The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has approached a Federal High Court in Abuja to file fresh money laundering allegations against the embattled former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Adoza Bello and two other co-defendants, identified as Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu.
The EFCC had previously filed charges against Bello and three others, accusing them of laundering over Eighty Billion Naira while Bello was the chief executive of Kogi State but according to this new filling, Bello and his co-defendants are accused of fleecing the state of One Hundred and Ten Billion Naira (₦110,000,000,000).
The trio allegedly 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 ₦110, 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 ₦950,000,000.00 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.”
In addition, the anti-graft agency alleged the defendants, while they had access to the state treasury, dishonestly used the total sum of N920,000,000.00 to acquire a property on No: 2 Justice Chukwudifu Oputa Street, Asokoro, Abuja.
Other properties the EFCC alleged the defendants to have acquired while in charge of the state treasury are Block D Manzini Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja bought for ₦170,000,000.00 in 2022 and N100m worth of property in No 1773 Guzape District, Abuja in 2018; a ₦550m property in No: 2934A Cadastral Zone A06 also known as No.1 Ikogosi Spring Close, Maitama District, Abuja in 2020 among others.
The EFCC also said the defendants, in 2021, dishonestly separately sent the sum of $570,330.00 and $556,265.00 to account No. 4266644272, Domiciled with TD Bank, United States of America.
“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 read.
