N3bn Fraud Charge: Court Adjourns Hearing On Bail Application For Ali Bello, 3 Others

Bello’s wife not a defendant in the matter, Court proceedings show

AFederal High Court, Abuja, has adjourned till February 14, for hearing on the bail application filed by Ali Bello and three others on an alleged N3 billion fraud charge brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). On February 8, Justice Obiora Egwuatu adjourned for hearing on the bail application filed by the defendants after they had pleade.
d not guilty to the 18-count charge. At the resumed sitting, Counsel to the defendants, Ahmed Raji (SAN), told the court that the EFCC had filed a counter affidavit to the bail application.

The EFCC’s Counter Affidavit, filed on Friday, was not in the court’s file and not at the Registry of the Court. It was alleged by the EFCC that it was mistakenly taken to Court 7. Justice Egwuatu noted that there were no copies of the counter affidavit in his record. In the light of the above, the Court adjourned the matter to today, February 14, for hearing of the bail application. Governor Yahaya Bello’s wife, Mrs. Rasheedat Bello, was not a defendant in the matter as an EFCC press release stated on Sunday.

Contrary to insinuations that yesterday’s sitting was for ruling on the EFCC case against Ali Bello and three others, it was for hearing on the bail application filed by the defendants.