Bello to Court: Release my passport to travel abroad for medical treatment

Amid trial of the alleged N80.2 billion fraud, the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello has demanded for the unfreezing of his international passport to enable him travel abroad for medical treatment.

Bello demanded for the return of his passport on Friday through his attorney who told the Federal High Court in Abuja that he needed a medical treatment abroad.

Advertisements

The former Kogi governor’s trial who is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has been progressing with prosecution and defence witnesses testifying in Court over what they know about the embezzled ₦80.2 billion.

Bello’s lead Counsel, J.B. Daudu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, (SAN) on Friday filed an application seeking the release of his client’s passport, citing urgent health concerns that required attention during the court’s vacation.

Advertisements

“After eight years without travelling, he needs to address specific aspects of his health,” Daudu said, adding that court permission was part of the bail terms.
If Bello is founded guilty of embezzling the sum of N80.2 billion he could spend a substantial number of years in prison.

Meanwhile, affidavit and two exhibits had been submitted in response to a counter-affidavit filed by the prosecution amid the legal fireworks between the defence and prosecution counsels on Thursday.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Kemi Pinheiro, standing in for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission opposed the request, arguing that the application was incompetent and constituted an abuse of court process, given that a similar application was already pending before the FCT High Court.

Daudu pushed back, insisting that it was the prosecution, not the defence that is guilty of duplicity.

Justice Emeka Nwite reserved ruling on the application for July 21, while fixing July 3 and 4 for the continuation of the trial.

Meanwhile, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank, Mshelia Arhyel Bata, who appeared as the fourth prosecution witness, clarified in open court that he was not harassed by security aides attached to the defendant.

“I was not harassed by any of the security details attached to the defendant. I felt the need to clarify this, my Lord,” Bata said.

His statement came after the EFCC alleged that its witness was harassed at a previous sitting—an allegation also carried by the commission’s website.

Under cross-examination, Bata testified that Yahaya Bello’s name was not listed as a signatory or beneficiary on any of the account statements tendered as exhibits by the prosecution.

“From the documents presented, there is no mention of His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello, as a signatory or beneficiary in any transaction,” he said, referencing Exhibit 22A, covering pages 24 to 413.

He also named several signatories to the accounts, including a Permanent Secretary, a Chief Accountant, and an Accountant, all tied to the Kogi State Government House Administration.

Tension briefly flared when the prosecution objected to some questions by the defence, insisting the witness should restrict his responses to documents already tendered.

Pinheiro argued, “The witness is not an expert in law.”

But Justice Nwite overruled, saying, “The witness, as an expert, knows what to say.”

Bata further explained that his oversight includes 13 bank branches in Abuja and surrounding areas but does not extend beyond the Federal Capital Territory.

On Thursday, the court admitted statements of accounts belonging to the Kogi State Government House Administration during Bello’s tenure, along with certificates of identification submitted by the witness in line with legal procedure.

As proceedings continue, all eyes will be on the July 21 ruling to determine whether the embattled former governor will be allowed to travel abroad for medical care.

Advertisements