Yahaya Bello, the immediate-past governor of Kogi State, and two others have pleaded not guilty to the 16-count charges brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The charges were read out in court on Wednesday, and Bello, who is the 1st defendant, vehemently denied the allegations. His counsel, JB Daudu, SAN, then moved an application for bail, which was opposed by the EFCC Counsel, Kemi Pinheiro.
The EFCC had also moved for the trial to commence immediately, but Bello’s Counsel argued that they needed time to prepare, having been served with the charge at 11pm on November 26.
It’s worth noting that two other defendants, Umar Shoaib Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, had earlier been admitted to administrative bail by the EFCC.
