Court grants Miyetti Allah president N2bn bail in alleged $2.63m money laundering case

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday granted Bello Bodejo, national president of Miyetti Allah Kauta Hore, N2 billion bail in the alleged $2.63 million money laundering case instituted against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Justice Inyang Ekwo admitted Bodejo to bail with two sureties in the like sum, ruling that the offences contained in the charge are bailable and that the court could exercise its discretion in the defendant’s favour.

As part of the bail conditions, the court ordered that one of the sureties must reside in Abuja and provide evidence of three years’ tax clearance.

The second surety must own landed property in Abuja valued at N2 billion.

The judge also directed Bodejo to surrender his international passport to the court registrar and barred him from travelling outside Nigeria without prior approval of the court.

Justice Ekwo subsequently adjourned the case to October 5, 6, and 7 for the commencement of trial.

Bodejo was remanded in the custody of the EFCC on July 9 after he was arraigned on multiple counts of alleged money laundering.

The anti-graft agency, through Wahab Shittu (SAN), its counsel, filed the charges on June 25, naming Bodejo as the sole defendant. He pleaded not guilty to all the counts when the charges were read in court.

Following the plea, the prosecution requested a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendant pending the commencement of proceedings.

Ahmed Raji (SAN), counsel to Bodejo, however, urged the court to grant his client bail.

Raji told the court that the application, filed on June 30, was based on the fact that the alleged offences are bailable under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).

He argued that the charges relate to money laundering offences, which do not preclude the defendant from being admitted to bail, and asked the court to exercise its discretion in favour of his client.

The EFCC opposed the application, but Justice Ekwo ruled that the defendant had met the threshold for bail, subject to the conditions imposed by the court.