Yahaya Bello’s nephew remanded for ‘fraudulently withdrawing N10bn from state treasury’

Justice James Kolawole Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, has remanded Aliyu Bello, a nephew of Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello; and Dauda Sulaiman in prison pending the fulfillment of their bail conditions for their alleged involvement in a N10 billion fraud.

An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) statement revealed Bello and Sulaiman faced a 10-count charge of misappropriation and money laundering on Thursday.

Abdulsalami Hudu, Cashier of the Kogi State House Administration, aided the fraudulent activities and is still at large, according to the EFCC.

“Bello and Sulaiman are accused of fraudulently withdrawing a sum of N10, 270,556,800 from the Kogi State treasury, which they delivered to a Bureau de Change operator, Rabiu Usman Tafada, in Abuja to keep or change to foreign currencies for personal gains,” the statement read in part.

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EFCC said Bello, Sulaiman and Hudu gave Tafada N5,865,756,800 and N2,509,650,000 at different times between January and December 2021. The high court deemed these funds to be proceeds of criminal misappropriation of Kogi State’s funds.

Bello and Sulaiman pleaded not guilty to the charges.

“Justice Omotosho admitted the defendants to bail in the sum One Billion Naira each and two sureties who are to provide a bond of N2 billion each and have a landed property valued at N500 million. The title of the properties shall be registered with the chief registrar of the court,” the statement read.

Omotosho sent Bello and Sulaiman to the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja pending the fulfillment of their bail conditions.

The next hearing will take place on February 6, 2023.

FIJ