Court Grants Miyetti Allah Leader Bello Bodejo N2Billion Bail In EFCC Money Laundering Case
Court Grants Miyetti Allah Leader Bello Bodejo N2Billion Bail In EFCC Money Laundering Case
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the court also directed that the second surety must own landed property in Abuja valued at N2 billion.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to the National President of Miyetti Allah Kauta Hore, Bello Bodejo, in the sum of N2 billion with two sureties in like sum over alleged money laundering charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Inyang Ekwo, who delivered the ruling on Monday, imposed stringent conditions for Bodejo’s release, including requiring one of the sureties to provide evidence of three years’ tax clearance and be a resident of Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the court also directed that the second surety must own landed property in Abuja valued at N2 billion.
In addition, Justice Ekwo ordered Bodejo to surrender his international passport to the court registrar and barred him from travelling outside Nigeria without the court’s permission.
The judge held that the offences for which the Miyetti Allah leader was charged were bailable and noted that the court had the discretionary power to grant him bail.
Following the ruling, Justice Ekwo adjourned the case until October 5, October 6 and October 7 for the commencement of trial.
Bodejo had been remanded in the custody of the EFCC on July 9 after he was arraigned before the court on alleged money laundering offences.
The anti-graft agency, through its counsel, Wahab Shittu (SAN), filed the charge dated June 24 and submitted on June 25, naming Bodejo as the sole defendant in the case.
When the charges were read to him during his arraignment, Bodejo pleaded not guilty to all the counts.
Following his plea, Shittu urged the court to fix a date for trial and requested that the defendant be remanded in EFCC custody pending the determination of the case.
However, Bodejo’s counsel, Ahmed Raji (SAN), informed the court that he had already filed an application seeking his client’s release on bail.
Arguing the motion, Raji told the court that the bail application was dated and filed on June 30.
He maintained that the allegations against his client related to money laundering offences, which are bailable under the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).
According to the senior lawyer, there were no legal grounds to deny Bodejo bail, urging the court to exercise its discretion in favour of the defendant.
The EFCC’s lead counsel, Shittu, opposed the application, asking the court to refuse the request.
