Alleged Money Laundering: FG Files Fresh Charges Against Yahaya Bello

The Federal Government of Nigeria has preferred new charges against former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello on an alleged fraud of N110 billion. These charges were preferred at the Federal High Court, Abuja. 

The charges concerned embezzlement of state funds when Bello was the governor of the state. Oricha and other two co-defendants together with Bello, two officials of the Kogi State government are alleged to have used the state treasury to buy properties in some of the most expensive estates in Abuja; and Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The 16-count charge is, however, a list of alleged transactions between 2016 and 2023. Some of the prominent allegations include:

In 2016, the trio was alleged to have conspired to misuse 110, 400, 000 US dollars from Kogi State.

They were said to have spent N950 million in 2023 to acquire a piece of land in the Maitama area of the federal capital city.

It was alleged that in 2020, the sum of N920 million was spent on an Asokoro property in Abuja.

In another count, it alleges they spent 5.6 million Dirhams (just over $1.55 million) in 2022 to buy property in the Burj Khalifa area of Dubai.

This new charge now complements other legal troubles that Bello has been answering, the earlier one that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) levied him, which includes money laundering and embezzlement It was filed a while back, and it has experienced several adjournments, and the former governor was declared wanted by the EFCC earlier this year for attempted camouflage.

These go as far as “marked a significant escalation in the anti-corruption fight against Bello…” Bello, on his part, has denied any wrongdoing and has accused EFCC of harassment. Specifically, as the case proceeds to the court, it is set to receive additional political and public interest​.