The 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 with two sureties in like sum over an alleged $2.63 million money laundering case.
Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a ruling on Bodejo’s bail application, ordered that one of the sureties must reside in Abuja and provide evidence of three years’ tax clearance. The second surety, the judge ruled, must own landed property worth N2 billion within Abuja.
The court also directed Bodejo to surrender his international passport to the court registrar and barred him from travelling outside Nigeria without prior approval of the court.
Justice Ekwo held that the offences for which Bodejo was charged are bailable and that the court was entitled to exercise its discretionary power in granting bail.
The judge subsequently adjourned the case until October 5, 6 and 7 for the commencement of the trial.
The court had, on July 9, remanded Bodejo in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) following his arraignment on alleged money laundering charges.
The EFCC, through its counsel, Wahab Shittu (SAN), arraigned Bodejo as the sole defendant on a charge dated June 24 and filed on June 25.
Bodejo pleaded not guilty to all the counts after the charges were read to him.
Following his plea, Shittu urged the court to fix a trial date and remand the defendant pending trial.
Counsel to the defendant, Ahmed Raji (SAN), drew the court’s attention to a bail application dated and filed on June 30.
Arguing the application, Raji submitted that the charges against his client related to alleged money laundering offences, which are bailable under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA). He therefore urged the court to grant Bodejo bail.
However, the EFCC’s counsel opposed the application, urging the court to refuse the request.
