The Federal High Court in Abuja has reduced the bail granted to the National President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bello Bodejo, from ₦2 billion to ₦1 billion as he faces trial over alleged money laundering offences.
Justice Salim Ibrahim, sitting as the vacation judge, granted the variation on Wednesday after considering an application filed by Bodejo’s counsel, Mohammed Sheriff, who urged the court to review the earlier bail conditions.
Bodejo was arraigned on 9 July before Justice Inyang Ekwo on a six-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He pleaded not guilty to all charges, and the trial has been scheduled to begin on October 5.
The anti-graft agency alleges that Bodejo received $100,000 from Sa’idu Abubakar, a former Accountant General of Bauchi State who is currently in police custody, along with other foreign currency cash payments that allegedly exceeded the legal transaction threshold without passing through a financial institution.
According to the EFCC, the transactions violated provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended), which restricts large cash transactions outside the banking system. The commission said the alleged offence is punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the Act.
Justice Ekwo had earlier granted Bodejo bail in the sum of ₦2 billion, requiring two sureties. One surety was to be an Abuja resident with evidence of three years’ tax clearance, while the other was required to own landed property worth ₦2 billion within the Federal Capital Territory.
After the ruling, Bodejo applied for a review of the bail conditions. However, Justice Ekwo declined to hear the application because the court was approaching its annual vacation and advised the parties to present the request before a vacation judge.
In Wednesday’s proceedings, EFCC counsel Fatal Erewunmi opposed the application. Despite the objection, Justice Ibrahim ruled that the defence had provided sufficient grounds for the bail conditions to be relaxed.
The court reduced the bail bond to ₦1 billion and directed Bodejo to produce two sureties. One of the sureties must own landed property valued at ₦1 billion in Guzape, Asokoro or Maitama in Abuja. Both sureties are also required to submit copies of their driver’s licences, National Identification Numbers (NINs) or international passports to the court.
Justice Ibrahim further ordered that the case file be returned to Justice Ekwo after the court’s annual vacation for the continuation of trial proceedings.
