A former two-time member of the National Assembly, Senator Dino Melaye, has reacted to the remand of the immediate-past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, at the Kuje Custodial Centre by a Judge of the FCT High Court on Tuesday, saying he predicted it six years ago.
Melaye, a chieftain of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi State, took to his Facebook pageon Tuesday night to post an old video of himself where he sang in Yoruba language that former Governor Bello will end up in prison after his eight-year tenure at the Lugard House seat of government in Lokoja.
Accompanying the video, the former federal lawmaker wrote: “6 years ago, SDM predicted Yahaya Bello would end up in prison. Today, he will be spending Chrismas in Kuje prison. All powers belong to God.”
Melaye and Bello have been political arch-rivals since 2016 when both fell out shortly after the latter’s emergence as governor of Kogi State. Melaye was one of the prominent arrowheads of Bello’s political breakthrough at the time following unforeseen political developments in the State.
Meanwhile, LEADERSHIP reports that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, on Tuesday, remanded Yahaya Bello in Kuje Correctional Centre, pending hearing of his bail application.
The trial judge, Justice Maryann Anenih, also adjourned hearing in the N110bn money laundering case brought against Bello by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to January 29 and 30 and February 25 and 27, 2025, for hearing.
The judge had earlier refused to grant a bail application filed by the former governor, saying it was filed prematurely.
Justice Anenih, while delivering the ruling, said having been filed when the 1st defendant was neither in custody nor before the court, this instant application was incompetent.
“Consequently, the instant application having been filed prematurely is hereby refused,” she said.
The former governor is standing trial, along with two others, in an alleged N110bn money laundering charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Recalling the arguments before the court on the bail application, the judge had said, “Before the court is a motion on notice, dated and filed on 22nd November. The 1st Defendant seeks an order of this honourable court admitting him to bail pending the hearing and determination of the charge.
“That he became aware of the instant charge through the public summons. That he is a two-term governor of Kogi State. That if released on bail, he would not interfere with the witnesses and not jump bail.”
She said the Defendant’s Counsel, JB Daudu, SAN, had told the court that he had submitted sufficient facts to grant the bail.
He urged the court to exercise its discretion judicially and judiciously to grant the bail.
In opposing, the Prosecution Counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, had argued that the instant application was grossly incompetent, having been filed before arraignment.
He said it ought to be filed after arraignment but the 1st Defendant’s Counsel disagreed, saying there was no authority
“that says that an application can only be filed when it is ripe for hearing.”
While delivering her ruling, Justice Maryann Anenih said, “The instant application for bail showed that it was filed on 22nd of November. This shows that it was filed several days after the 1st defendant was taken into custody.”
Reading from the ACJA section, the judge said the provision provided that an application for bail could be made when a defendant had been arrested, detained, arraigned or brought before the court.
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Bello had filed an application for his bail on 22nd November but was taken into custody on 26th November and arraigned on 27th November.
The 2nd Defendant, Umar Oricha, was, however, granted N300 million bail, with two sureties, “who shall have property in the Maitama District of the FCT, within the jurisdiction of the court.
He shall not travel outside without the leave of the Court and shallh remain in Kuje Correctional Centre, pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions.
The 3rd Defendant, Abdulsalami Hudu, was also granted N300 million bail with the same conditions as the 2nd Defendant.
The judge, however, said that each surety must enter into a bond7 for not more than one defendant, while the defendants were directed to deposit their international passports with the Court Registrar.
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