Alleged $2.63m money laundering: EFCC arraigns Miyetti Allah President

The President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bello Bodejo, has been remanded to the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a $2.63 million money laundering charge by a federal high court in Abuja.

At the hearing of the bail petition of Bodejo before Inyang Ekwo, presiding judge, on Thursday, the judge ordered that the accused remain in the custody of the anti-graft commission while his application is determined.

The judge adjourned the hearing of the case to July 20.

The accused is arraigned on various money laundering charges, which he has pleaded not guilty to.

Following his arraignment, Wahab Shittu, counsel for EFCC, sought the fixing of date for trial and remandment of the defendant.

Ahmed Raji, counsel for Bodejo, informed the court that a bail application had already been filed.

While moving the application, Raji stated that the motion, which was filed on June 30, has been made on a number of grounds.

Raji stated that the offenses alleged against his client are bailable offenses under ACJA and prayed the court to grant him bail.

The opposition to the bail application was based on a 28-paragraph counter-affidavit filed by EFCC.

“We adopt all our processes in opposition to the application my lord,” he said.

The prosecutor argued that Bodejo had previously been “a guest at the Department of State Services (DSS) for other offences” and could commit further offences if released on bail.

Shittu also dismissed the defendant’s claim of ill health, arguing that the injury he referred to was not recent and that he did not appear to be in poor health.

He further submitted that Bodejo could interfere with witnesses if granted bail, but urged the court to impose stringent conditions should it decide otherwise.

According to the charge, the EFCC alleged that Bodejo, on January 21, 2022, accepted $200,000 in cash from Sa’idu Abubakar, a former accountant-general of Bauchi State, in a transaction that exceeded the threshold permitted by law.

The commission also alleged that he received another $100,000 in cash from Abubakar on October 26, 2022, and a further $980,000 in separate cash transactions.

The EFCC said the alleged offences contravene Section 19(1)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and are punishable under Section 19(2)(b) of the same Act.