The Federal High Court in Abuja has reduced the bail bond granted to the National President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bello Bodejo, from ₦2 billion to ₦1 billion in his ongoing money laundering case.
Justice Salim Ibrahim, sitting as the court’s vacation judge on Wednesday, varied the bail conditions after considering an application filed by Bodejo’s counsel, Mohammed Sheriff.
Bodejo was arraigned on July 9 before Justice Inyang Ekwo on a six-count charge brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He pleaded not guilty to the allegations, and the court fixed October 5 for the commencement of trial.
The charges include allegations that Bodejo received foreign currency cash payments exceeding the transaction limit permitted under Nigeria’s anti-money laundering laws.
Justice Ekwo had on July 20 granted Bodejo bail in the sum of ₦2 billion with two sureties. Under the original conditions, one surety was required to reside in Abuja and provide evidence of three years’ tax clearance, while the second had to show proof of ownership of landed property valued at ₦2 billion within the Federal Capital Territory. The trial was scheduled to continue on October 5, 6 and 7.
Three days after the bail ruling, Bodejo applied for a review of the conditions. However, Justice Ekwo declined to hear the application before the court commenced its annual vacation, noting that the EFCC had opposed the request and that the proceedings were unlikely to be concluded before the vacation began on July 27.
The judge subsequently directed the parties to present the application before the court’s vacation judge, with the substantive case set to return to his court after the vacation.
At Wednesday’s hearing, EFCC counsel Fatal Erewunmi opposed the request for a reduction in the bail conditions. Despite the opposition, Justice Ibrahim ruled that the defence had established sufficient grounds for a variation and reduced the bail bond to ₦1 billion.
The court ordered Bodejo to provide two sureties. One of the sureties must own landed property valued at ₦1 billion in the Guzape, Asokoro or Maitama districts of Abuja. Both sureties were also directed to submit photocopies of their driver’s licences, National Identification Numbers or international passports to the court.
Justice Ibrahim further ordered that the case file be returned to Justice Ekwo following the court’s annual vacation for the continuation of the trial.
According to the EFCC, Bodejo allegedly received $100,000 from Sa’idu Abubakar, a former Accountant-General of Bauchi State who was said to be in the lawful custody of the Nigeria Police Force, in addition to other alleged foreign currency cash payments.
The commission alleged that the transaction exceeded the statutory cash transaction limit of ₦5 million prescribed under Section 1(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011, as amended, and was received without passing through a financial institution.
The EFCC said the alleged offence contravenes Section 16(1)(d) of the Act and is punishable under Section 16(2)(b).
Bodejo has denied all the allegations, and the charges remain before the court. No verdict has been delivered in the case.
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