Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja has admitted the National President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bello Bodejo, to a ₦2 billion bail with one surety in the like sum.
In a ruling on Bodejo’s bail application, Justice Ekwo ordered that the surety must have a three-year tax clearance and must reside in Abuja.
Justice Ekwo, who also ordered that the surety must have land worth ₦2 billion in Abuja, held that the documents of the property shall be verified by the court registrar.
The judge equally ordered Bodejo to drop his passport with the registrar of the court and not travel outside the country without the leave of the court.
The judge agreed that the offences with which the defendant was charged were bailable ones, and the court has the discretionary power to exercise this in his favour.
He adjourned the matter until Oct. 5, Oct. 6, and Oct. 7 for the commencement of the trial.
Justice Ekwo had, on July 9, fixed today for the ruling on Bedoje’s bail application, who is facing a money laundering charge involving about 2.63 million U.S. dollars.
The judge thereafter ordered the remand of the Miyetti Allah president in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s custody.
The judge gave the order following Bodejo’s arraignment by the EFCC on alleged money laundering offences.
The EFCC, through its lawyer, Wahab Shittu (SAN), had named Bodejo as the sole defendant in the charge dated June 24 and filed on June 25.
After the charges were read to Bodejo, he pleaded not guilty to all counts. Shittu then applied for a trial date and urged the court to order his remand.
But Ahmed Raji (SAN) informed the court about their bail application. Moving the motion, Raji said the application was dated and filed on June 30.
The lawyer submitted that the offences with which Bodejo was charged bordered on money laundering. According to him, under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), they are bailable offences.
He, therefore, urged the court to admit the defendant to bail. But Shittu vehemently opposed Raji’s application for bail.
In count one, Bodejo was alleged to have, on or about Jan. 11, 2022, in Abuja, without lawful authority, accepted a cash payment of the sum of $100,000 in physical currency from Sa’idu Abubakar, a former Accountant-General (AG) of Bauchi State, who is currently in the lawful custody of the Nigerian Police Force.
It said the sum exceeded the statutory cash transaction threshold of ₦5 million prescribed under Section 1(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended), without routing the said transaction through a financial institution as required by law.
“You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 16(1)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the same Act,” it read.
In count two, Bodejo was alleged to have, on or about Jan. 21, 2022, in Abuja, without lawful authority, accepted a cash payment of the sum of $200,000.00 in physical currency from Sa’idu Abubakar, a former AG of Bauchi State who is currently in the lawful custody of the Nigerian Police Force, which exceeded the transaction threshold.
Count three accused him of accepting a cash payment of another $100,000.00 on or about Oct. 26, 2022, in Abuja, without lawful authority from Abubakar.
In count four, the defendant was alleged to have, on or about Feb. 7, 2024, in Abuja, without lawful authority, accepted a cash payment of the sum of $980,000.00 in physical currency from Abubakar.
Count five accused him of accepting $750,000.00, on or about March 3, 2024, in Abuja, from Abubakar without lawful authority.
In Count six, Bodejo was alleged to have, on or about March 20, 2024, in Abuja, accepted a cash payment of $500,000.00 in physical currency from Abubakar without lawful authority.
It said this exceeded the statutory cash transaction threshold of N5 million prescribed under Section 2(1)(a) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, without routing the said transaction through a financial institution as required by law.
“You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 19(1)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 19(2)(b) of the same Act,” count six read, among other counts.
