The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday declined to hear a fresh application filed by detained National President of Miyetti Allah Kauta Hore, Bello Bodejo, seeking a review of the stringent conditions attached to his bail.
Justice Inyang Ekwo ruled that the application could not be determined before the court begins its annual vacation, especially as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has formally opposed the request.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the EFCC is prosecuting Bodejo over an alleged 2.63 million U.S. dollars money laundering offense.
Justice Ekwo had on Monday granted Bodejo ₦2 billion bail with two sureties in like sum.
The court ordered that one surety must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and provide evidence of three years’ tax clearance, while the second must own landed property worth ₦2 billion in Abuja.
When the matter came up on Thursday, Bodejo’s counsel, Mohammed Sheriff, informed the court that his client had filed an application seeking a variation of the bail conditions.
Counsel to the EFCC, Fatai Erewunmi, confirmed that the anti-graft agency had received the application and had filed a counter-affidavit opposing it.
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Justice Ekwo, however, observed that the court was unlikely to conclude proceedings on the contested application before the commencement of the vacation.
He advised both parties to approach a vacation judge to determine the application during the court recess, after which the substantive trial would continue before his court.
The judge subsequently adjourned the case until October 5 for the commencement of trial.
According to the EFCC, Bodejo allegedly received 100,000 U.S. dollars from a former Accountant-General of Bauchi State, Sa’idu Abubakar, who is currently in the custody of the Nigerian Police Force, alongside other cash transactions in foreign currency.
The commission alleged that the transactions exceeded the statutory ₦5 million cash transaction limit without being routed through a financial institution, contrary to the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended).
The anti-graft agency further accused Bodejo of violating provisions of both the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, offenses that attract criminal penalties under the relevant sections of the laws.
