Adeola Adedipe (SAN), counsel for Yahaya Adoza Bello, former Governor of Kogi State, has requested permission from the Federal High Court in Abuja to withdraw from representing Bello in an N80.2 billion fraud case filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Bello, scheduled for arraignment today before Justice Emeka Nwite, has missed four previous court appearances.
He, along with Ali Bello, Dauda Suliman, and Abdulsalam Hudu (still at large), faces charges of conspiracy to convert N80,246,470,088.88 through criminal breach of trust, contravening Section 18(a) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended.
Additionally, between July 26, 2021, and April 6, 2022, Bello allegedly assisted E-Traders International Limited in hiding N3,081,804,654.00 in an Access Bank account, knowing it was derived from unlawful activity.
In November 2021, he is also accused of facilitating the transfer of $570,330.00 to a TD Bank account in the USA through E-Traders International Limited, both actions violating Sections 18(a) and 15(2)(d) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
At the latest hearing, with Bello again absent, Adedipe revealed that after the June 13 proceedings, lead counsel Abdulwahab Mohammed (SAN) informed him of a letter sent on behalf of Bello to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, James Tsoho, requesting the case be transferred to the Federal High Court, Lokoja Judicial Division.
