A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday granted the National President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bello Bodejo, bail in the sum of N2 billion in his ongoing trial over an alleged $2.63 million money laundering case.
Bodejo was arraigned on July 9 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a multi-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering involving about $2.63m.
He pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Following his arraignment, the prosecution counsel, Wahab Shittu (SAN), applied for a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendant in the custody of the EFCC.
However, defence counsel, Ahmed Raji (SAN), informed the court that he had filed a bail application dated June 30.
Raji argued that the offences alleged against his client were bailable under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) and urged the court to grant the application.
Shittu opposed the application and urged the court to refuse bail.
In one of the counts, the EFCC alleged that Bodejo, “on or about January 11, 2022, in Abuja… accepted a cash payment of $100,000 from a former Accountant-General of Bauchi State, Sa’idu Abubakar, without lawful authority” and outside the banking system, contrary to the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended).
The anti-graft agency alleged that the transaction exceeded the statutory cash transaction threshold of N5m prescribed by law.
The commission also accused Bodejo of accepting additional cash payments of $200,000, $100,000, $980,000, $750,000 and $500,000 from Abubakar on different dates between 2022 and 2024, allegedly in breach of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended), and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
According to the EFCC, the transactions were not routed through financial institutions as required by law and formed the basis of the charges against the Miyetti Allah leader. Bodejo has denied the allegations.
In his ruling, Justice Inyang Ekwo held that the offences with which Bodejo was charged were bailable and that the court had the discretion to admit him to bail.
The judge granted the defendant bail in the sum of N2bn with one surety in like sum.
Justice Ekwo ordered that the surety must be resident in Abuja, possess a three-year tax clearance certificate and own landed property in the Federal Capital Territory valued at not less than N2bn.
He directed that the title documents be verified by the court registrar.
