The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted Bello Bodejo, the National President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, bail in the sum of ₦2 billion as he faces trial over allegations of laundering $2.63 million.
Justice Inyang Ekwo, who delivered the ruling on Sunday, ordered that Bodejo must provide one surety in the same amount.
As part of the bail conditions, the court directed that the surety must be a resident of Abuja, possess three years of tax clearance certificates, and own landed property in the Federal Capital Territory valued at ₦2 billion.
The judge further ruled that the property documents presented by the surety must be verified by the court registrar.
Justice Ekwo also ordered Bodejo to surrender his international passport to the court registrar and prohibited him from travelling outside Nigeria without the court’s permission.
In granting the application, the judge held that the offences brought against the defendant are bailable and that the court had the discretion to admit him to bail.
The matter was subsequently adjourned to October 5, October 6 and October 7 for the commencement of trial.
The court had earlier fixed July 20 for the ruling on Bodejo’s bail application after he was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged money laundering involving approximately $2.63 million.
Following his arraignment, Justice Ekwo ordered that the Miyetti Allah president be remanded in EFCC custody pending the determination of his bail application.
The EFCC, represented by Wahab Shittu (SAN), filed the charge dated June 24 and submitted on June 25, naming Bodejo as the sole defendant.
When the charges were read in court, Bodejo pleaded not guilty to all counts.
Following his plea, the prosecution requested a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendant.
However, Bodejo’s counsel, Ahmed Raji (SAN), informed the court that a bail application had already been filed on June 30.
While moving the application, Raji argued that the allegations bordered on money laundering and were bailable under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA). He urged the court to exercise its discretion in favour of his client.
The EFCC opposed the request, with Shittu asking the court to refuse the application.
According to the charge, Bodejo allegedly received several cash payments in US dollars from Sa’idu Abubakar, a former Accountant-General of Bauchi State, who is currently in the custody of the Nigerian Police Force.
In the first count, the EFCC alleged that on or about January 11, 2022, Bodejo accepted $100,000 in cash from Abubakar without lawful authority and without processing the transaction through a financial institution, contrary to the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended).
“You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 16(1)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the same Act,” the charge stated.
The commission further alleged that Bodejo accepted another $200,000 on January 21, 2022, and an additional $100,000on October 26, 2022, under similar circumstances.
According to the prosecution, Bodejo also allegedly received $980,000 on February 7, 2024, $750,000 on March 3, 2024, and $500,000 on March 20, 2024, all in cash and outside the legally permitted transaction threshold.
The sixth count alleges that the $500,000 payment exceeded the statutory cash transaction limit prescribed under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and was not routed through a financial institution as required by law.
“You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 19(1)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 19(2)(b) of the same Act,” the charge read.
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