The Federal High Court in Abuja has reviewed and eased the bail conditions earlier granted to Bello Bodejo, National President of Miyetti Allah Kauta Hore, who is standing trial over alleged money laundering involving $2.63 million.
Justice Salim Ibrahim, sitting as the court’s vacation judge, approved the application after it was presented by Bodejo’s counsel, Mohammed Sheriff, despite objections from Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) lawyer Fatal Erewunmi.
The court reduced the bail from N2 billion to N1 billion, while retaining the requirement for two sureties in the same amount.
Under the revised terms, one of the sureties must own a landed property valued at N1 billion in Guzape, Asokoro or Maitama, all located within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
Justice Ibrahim also directed both sureties to submit valid identification documents, including photocopies of their driver’s licences, National Identification Number (NIN) slips or international passports.
The judge further ordered that the case file be returned to the court of Justice Inyang Ekwo after the court’s vacation so that the criminal trial can continue.
Justice Ekwo had initially granted Bodejo bail on July 20, fixing the amount at N2 billion with two sureties. One surety was required to provide evidence of three years of tax clearance and reside within the court’s jurisdiction, while the second was expected to own a property worth N2 billion in Abuja.
Bodejo was arraigned before Justice Ekwo on July 9, where he pleaded not guilty to all charges brought against him by the EFCC.
The trial has been scheduled to commence on October 5.
According to the anti-graft agency, Bodejo allegedly received multiple cash payments from Sa’idu Abubakar, a former Accountant-General of Bauchi State, without processing the transactions through financial institutions as required under Nigeria’s money laundering laws.
The prosecution alleges that the first transaction involved $100,000 received on January 11, 2022 in Abuja.
Additional counts accuse him of accepting $200,000 on January 21, 2022, another $100,000 on October 26, 2022, $980,000 on February 7, 2024, and $750,000 on March 3, 2024.
The EFCC maintains that the cash transactions exceeded the legal limits prescribed under the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, making them offences punishable under the relevant provisions of the law.
If convicted, Bodejo could face penalties provided under Nigeria’s anti-money laundering legislation.
