It’s Kogi’s money I cannot go on trial in Abuja, Bello tells Court, EFCC

Former Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello said he cannot go on trial for money laundering charges in Abuja where the Economic and Financial Crime Commission has filed a case against him at the Federal High Court presided over by Justice John Tsoho.
Bello who remains at large after being declared wanted by the EFCC over alleged misappropriation of over N80.2b argued in a letter to the FHC that since the crime was committed in Kogi State, the case should be brought to Lokoja.
“All the funds which the complainant alleged to have been laundered by the defendant are monies of the Government of Kogi State whose State Capital is in Lokoja,” the letter by Bello stated.
“All the Bank Accounts from which the said Monies are stated to be laundered from as shown in the proof of evidence are domiciled with the branches of the respective Banks in Lokoja, Kogi State.
“Thus, the Law is settled that generally, the Federal High Court’s jurisdiction is one all over the Federation, the Court is divided into judicial divisions and where a crime is committed in any of the divisions, criminal proceedings thereof must be initiated and prosecuted in that very judicial division of the Federal High Court where the act or omission or the elements of the offence were allegedly committed.
“It is pertinent to note that the Defendant was Governor of Kogi State, the charges and the proof of evidence indicate criminal breach of trust, criminal misappropriation and money laundering in respect of the statutory funds of Kogi state.
“These are the alleged predicate offences and all their elements took place in Kogi State, within the territorial jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, Lokoja Judicial Division.
“We humbly urge my Lord, to transfer the subject charge to the Lokoja Division of the Federal High Court which is the Division with the Territorial Jurisdiction to try the case.”
Meanwhile the Court Thursday adjourned the arraignment of Mr. Bello to July 17, 2024. He was scheduled to be arraigned on June 13, but was moved forward to June 27 2024. His lawyer Adeola Adedipe applied to withdraw from the case.