Rashida, the wife of Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi, has been charged with fraud by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Ali Bello, the governor of Kogi’s nephew, was also hauled before a federal high court in Abuja on Wednesday.
Wilson Uwujaren, the EFCC’s spokesman, stated in a statement that the two defendants were indicted alongside three others on an 18-count charge “bordering on criminal misappropriation and money laundering to the tune of N3,081,804,655”
Rashida is reportedly still at large.
“That you, Ali Bello, Abba Adaudu, Yakubu Siyaka Adabenege, Iyada Sadat, and Rashida Bello (at large) procured E-Traders International Limited to retain the sum of N3,081,804,654.00 (Three Billion, Eighty-One Million, Eight Hundred and Four Thousand, Six Hundred and Fifty-Four Million, Eight Hundred and Fifty-Four Million, Six Hundred and
“That you Ali Bello, Abba Adaudu Rashida Bello (at large) procured E-Traders International Limited to transfer the aggregate sum of $570,330 (Five Hundred and Seventy Thousand, Three Hundred United States Dollars) to account number no; 426-6644272 domiciled in TD Bank, United States of America, which sum you reasonably should have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful acti”
However, the defendants pled not guilty to the accusation.
The EFCC’s attorney, Rotimi Oyedepo, then urged the court to establish a trial date, while the defendant’s attorney, Ahmed Raji, requested bail until the issue was resolved.
The sitting judge, Obiora Egwuatu, ruled that the defendants be incarcerated pending a decision on their bail application.
In addition, the matter was postponed until February 13.