Court rejects Bello Bodejo's request to review ₦2 billion bail conditions

(Leader of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bello Bodejo. Photo by Premuim Times)

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday declined to hear an application filed by the detained National President of Miyetti Allah Kauta Kore, Bello Bodejo, seeking a review of the conditions attached to the ₦2 billion bail granted him days earlier.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, in his ruling, explained that since the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is opposing the review application, the court might not be able to conclude proceedings on the matter before the commencement of the court’s vacation.

According to a news agency report, the EFCC had charged Bodejo with money laundering involving $2.63 million allegedly linked to the Bauchi State Government.

On Monday, the judge had granted him bail in the sum of ₦2 billion with two sureties, directing that one surety must provide evidence of a three-year tax clearance and reside within the court’s jurisdiction, while the other must own landed property in Abuja worth ₦2 billion.

At Thursday’s proceedings, Bodejo’s lawyer, Mohammed Sheriff, informed the court of his client’s application seeking a variation of the bail conditions.

Prosecution counsel, Fatai Erewunmi, confirmed he had been served with the application and had responded with a counter affidavit.

However, after reviewing the matter, the judge indicated that he might be unable to conclude proceedings on the application, given the EFCC’s opposition, before the court proceeds on vacation.

He therefore advised both parties to approach a vacation judge to hear the application during the court’s recess, after which the substantive case could be returned to his court for trial.

Justice Ekwo subsequently adjourned the matter until 5 October for the commencement of trial.

The EFCC had accused Bodejo of receiving 100,000 dollars, among other sums in foreign currency, from Sa’idu Abubakar, a former Accountant-General of Bauchi State who is currently in police custody.

The commission alleged that the amount exceeded the statutory cash transaction threshold of ₦5 million prescribed under Section 1(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended), and that the transaction was not routed through a financial institution as required by law.

He was said to have committed an offence contrary to Section 16(1)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended), punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the same Act.

The offence was also said to contravene Section 19(1)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, punishable under Section 19(2)(b) of the same Act.