The federal government has filed a new 16-count charge against the former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, in a case that has intensified scrutiny of his financial dealings.
The charges, submitted to a federal high court in Abuja on Wednesday, center around an alleged criminal breach of trust amounting to ₦110,446,470,089.
This is in violation of sections 96 and 311 of the Penal Code Law Cap.89 Laws of Northern Nigeria, 1963, and is punishable under Section 312 of the same law.
Bello, who is already facing a separate 19-count charge brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), will now appear in court alongside two officials from the Kogi State government, Abdulsalami Hudu and Umar Oricha.
According to the charge sheet obtained by TheCable, the defendants are accused of misappropriating funds from the Kogi State treasury to purchase properties in upscale areas within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
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See the charges below:
Count one of the charges alleges that Bello, Oricha and Hudu, sometime in 2016 in Abuja, agreed among themselves “to cause to be done an illegal act to wit: criminal breach of trust in respect of the total sum of ₦110,446, 470, 089.00 (One Hundred and Ten Billion, Four Hundred and Forty six Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand, Eighty Nine Naira) entrusted to you”.
In count two, the defendants were said to have used the total sum of ₦950 million in 2023 “for the acquisition of a property known as No: 35 Danube Street, Maitama District, Abuja”.
Count three accused the defendants of using ₦100 million “for the acquisition of a property known as No: 1160 Cadastral Zone CO3, Gwarimpa I District, Abuja” in 2021.
In court four, they were accused of using ₦920 million “for the acquisition of a property known as No: 2 Justice Chukwudifu Oputa Street, Asokoro, Abuja” in 2020.
The defendants, in count five, allegedly used ₦170 million “for the acquisition of a property known as Block D Manzini Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja” in 2022.
In count six, they allegedly used ₦100 million to purchase a property known as No: 1773 Guzape District, Abuja in 2018.
In count seven, they allegedly used another ₦100 million “for the acquisition of a property known as No: A02/176 Block 488B, Lome Street, Wuse 1, Abuja” in 2020.
In count eight, they were said to have in 2020, used ₦66 million “for the acquisition of a property known as No: 739 Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse 2 at No. 13 Citiscape-Sharriff Plaza, Abuja”.
Count nine alleges that the trio used ₦550 million for the acquisition of a property known as No: 2934 A Cadastral Zone A06 also known as No.1 Ikogosi Spring Close, Maitama District, Abuja”, in 2020.
In count 10, they were said to have used ₦650 million to purchase a property known as No: 1058, Measuring 1450.77 sqm in Cadastral Zone A08, Wuse 2 also Known as No. 2 Durban Street Abuja, in 2021.
In count 11, the accused persons were said to have used 5,698,888 Dirhams in 2022 “for the acquisition of a property located at Hotel Apartment Community: Burj Khalifa, lying, being and situated at Plot 160, Municipality NO 345-7562, Sky View Building No.401, Floor4, Dubai U.A. E.”
Count 12 accused the defendants of using ₦60 million for the acquisition of a property known as Block 18 (337) Flat B Gwelo street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja in 2016.
In count 13, the defendants were alleged to have “dishonestly used the total sum of ₦310,443,450.00 to tastefully renovate a property known as No: 9 Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja” in 2017.
Count 14 alleges that the defendants “dishonestly sent the total sum of $570,330.00 to account No. 4266644272 Domiciled with TD Bank, United States of America” in 2021.
In count 15, they were also alleged to have “sent the total sum of $556,265.00 to account No. 4266644272 domiciled with TD Bank, United States of America”, in 2021.
In count 16, Bello alone was alleged to have had under his control, “the total sum of ₦677, 848,000 unlawfully obtained from Bespoque Business Solutions Limited” sometime between 2017 and 2018, in Abuja.
