Yahaya Bello, the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, has pleaded not guilty to an 18-count charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The charges include money laundering, breach of trust, and misappropriation of public funds totaling around N80.2 billion. Bello entered his plea after the charges were read to him. His response was straightforward, denying all 18 counts. The case is being heard by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
During the hearing, counsel for the EFCC, Kemi Pinheiro, informed the court of the prosecution’s intention to withdraw an earlier application. The application had sought to accelerate the arraignment process, but Pinheiro stated that it had been overtaken by events. The defendant’s counsel, Joseph Daudu, did not object, and Justice Nwite granted the request.
Source: https://punchng.com
