Kogi governor’s wife, Rashidat, 2 others arraigned over N3 billion money laundering

Kogi State governor’s wife, Rashidat Bello was on Wednesday charged in absentia at the Justice Obiora Egwuatu-led Federal High Court in Abuja by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Rashidat Bello who was believed to have gone underground to avoid her appearance at Wednesday’s Court was arraigned alongside Kogi governor’s nephew, Ali Bello for money laundering.

However, Ali Bello,.one Abba Adaida, Aiyaka Adabenege and Iyada Sadat were all docked and arraigned on 18 count charge bordering on criminal misappropriation and money laundering to the tune of N3,081,804,654.00 (Three Billion, Eighty One Million, Eight Hundred and Four Thousand, Six Hundred and Fifty Four Naira.

The defendants in connivance with Kogi governor’s wife, Rashidat were said to have sometime in June, 2020 in Abuja procured E- Traders International Limited to retain the aggregate sum of N3,081,804,654.00 (Three Billion, Eighty One Million, Eight Hundred and Four Thousand, Six Hundred and Fifty Four Naira) which sum they reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful activity.

Again in November, 2021, Rashidat and her co-accused procured E-Traders International Limited to transfer the aggregate sum of $570,330 (Five Hundred and Seventy Thousand, Three Hundred and Thirty United States Dollars) to account number no; 426-6644272 domiciled in TD Bank, United States of America.

The said money was believed to belong to Kogi State government which they reasonably ought to have known.

The money forms part of proceeds of unlawful activity to with: “criminal misappropriation, and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act.

The defendants pleaded “not guilty” to all the charges preferred against them.

In view of their pleas, Prosecuting Counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, urged the court to give a trial date to enable the prosecution to prove its case.

However, defence counsel, Ahmed Raji SAN, prayed the court to grant his client bail pending the hearing and determination of the case.

Justice Egwuatu adjourned the case till 13 February, 2023 and ordered that the defendants be remanded in a Correctional Centre pending the determination of the bail application.