By Attah Ede
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite,
on Friday, scheduled July 21st 2025 to rule on an application brought before it by the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, to allowed him to travel oversea for medical attention.
The former governor who is facing a 19-count money laundering charge of N80.2bn, in his application dated June 20, appealed to the court to release his international passport which was seized as part of his bail conditions, to enable him travel to hospital in the United Kingdom, UK.
Addressing the court through his team of lawyers led by a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Prof. Joseph Daudu, SAN, the defendant said he was referred to the foreign hospital by a cardiologist.
He told the court to exercise its discretion in his favour, adding that he never travelled outside the country for the eight years he served as the governor of Kogi.
“I beg to travel within the court’s vacation period and return to the country for the continuation of my trial. My lord, this is a harmless and non-political issue that borders on the health of the defendant, who is ready and willing to face his trial.
“He has never been late to court. The little misunderstanding that happened before this trial began was politically motivated. If permitted to travel, he will return before the end of August and the court can also set a date.
“This is a criminal trial, not a political witch-hunt,” Daudu, SAN, pleaded.
However, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, opposed the application which it said amounted to an abuse of court process.
The prosecution counsel, Mr. Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, in his submission, said though the defendant claimed he was suffering from hypertension and hypercalcemia or low potassium, no evidence was adduced to show that it is a life-threatening situation.
“There are well-equipped hospitals in the country that could effectively treat the ailments. Bello claimed that he built ultra-modern hospitals with state-of-the-art facilities in Kogi while he was governor, so why is he traveling abroad?
“This defendant insisted that the hospitals were built to curb medical tourism,” the prosecution counsel added as he faulted the medical report which he said did not disclose the qualification of the doctor that signed it.
“Morealso, the defendant is facing serious allegations that have international dimensions, which could led to his arrest by the Interpol once he leaves the shores of Nigeria.
“This defendant is already on the red notice. The EFCC sent a letter to the Interpol when he was playing games with the prosecution and he was placed on the red list.
“He doesn’t know what is awaiting him there. He can be Hushpuppied to the US or UAE. That is a risk because it will affect this trial,” the prosecution counsel added.
Aside from noting that those who stood surety for the defendant were not served with the application, EFCC alleged that the former governor filed the same application before an Abuja high court, where he is facing another charge.
After he had listened to both parties, Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the matter for ruling.
Meanwhile, a mild drama played out in the court after the fourth witness, Mr. Mshelia Arhyel Bata, who is a Compliance Officer with Zenith Bank, refuted the allegation that he was harassed by security operatives attached to the former governor.
Pinheiro, SAN, had shortly after the case was called up, informed the court that the witness was accosted by one of the security men, even as he demanded an investigation.
“My lord, the witness told me that this is not the first time. A situation where a witness is harassed in a criminal case amounts to interference,” the prosecution counsel insisted.
Responding, Bello’s lawyer, Daudu, SAN, promised to investigate the issue and report back to the court.
However, shortly before the case was adjourned, the witness sought permission of the court to speak.
He told the court that, contrary to the claim of the prosecution counsel, he was neither harassed nor attacked by any security operative.
“My lord, I want to put it on record that no one harassed or intimidated me. I only had a minor altercation with someone which had nothing to do with the defendant,” the witness added.
Answering questions under cross-examination, the PW-4, further told the court that Bello’s name did not feature as a beneficiary in all the withdrawals that were made from accounts belonging to Kogi state.
Justice Nwite adjourned the case to July 3 and 4 for the continuation of cross-examination of the witness.
Bello, who governed Kogi state from 2016 to 2024, is facing trial over his alleged complicity in an N80.2 billion fraud.
EFCC alleged that he used five proxies to acquire 13 choice properties in highbrow areas of Abuja and Dubai.
It told the court that the properties were acquired with the proceeds of crime.
Besides, the anti-graft agency alleged that the former governor attempted to conceal over N3bn by handing same to proxies to keep for him.
It further told the court that the defendant wired over $700, 000 to an account he maintained with a bank in the United States of America, USA, in breach of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act.
The ex-governor pleaded not guilty to the charge, even as he was released on bail by the court, pending the determination of allegations against him.
