The Federal Capital Territory High Court has refused to grant a bail application filed by the former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.
Justice Maryann Anenih, while delivering the ruling said, having been filed when the 1st defendant was neither in custody or before the court, the instant application was incompetent and filed prematurely.
The former Governor is standing trial, along with two others, in an alleged 110bilio naira money laundering charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC
She said the Defendant’s Counsel, JB Daudu, had told the court that he had submitted sufficient facts to grant the bail urging the court to exercise its discretion judicially and judiciously to grant the bail
In opposing, the Prosecution Counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, had argued that the instant application was grossly incompetent, having been filed before arraignment.
He said it ought to be filed after arraignment but the 1st Defendant’s Counsel disagreed saying there was no authority that says that an application can only be filed when it is ripe for hearing
