Abuja: An FCT High Court has clarified that the international passport of the immediate-past Governor of Kogi, Yahaya Bello, is not in its custody but rather with the Federal High Court. Justice Maryanne Anenih revealed this during the resumed hearing of an alleged money laundering case brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against Bello.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Justice Anenih stated that the court would have considered the application for the release of Bello’s travel document had it been in its custody. However, since the passport is not with the FCT High Court, any order to release it would be ineffective. Bello, along with Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, was arraigned on November 27, 2024, on a 16-count charge related to alleged property fraud amounting to N110 billion.
Justice Anenih further explained that the application presented by Bello was flawed, as it wrongly assumed that his passport was before the FCT High Court. The bail conditions required Bello to submit his passport or an affidavit if it was held by another court. The bail conditions also stipulated that Bello should release his passport immediately after it was returned by the Federal High Court, where he is facing a separate charge.
The judge highlighted that Bello had sworn in an affidavit that his passport was with the deputy registrar of the Federal High Court and promised to present it once it was released to him. She emphasized that the passport could not be in two places simultaneously and the court could not speculate on the existence of another passport without evidence presented before it.
The ruling concluded with Justice Anenih adjourning the continuation of the trial until October 8. Bello is also facing a similar charge at the Federal High Court in Abuja. He had filed an application requesting the release of his passport to travel abroad for health reasons.
Counsel to Bello, Joseph Daudu, SAN, argued that the passport was not in the custody of the FCT High Court. A review of court records showed that the applicant had previously been ordered to deposit his passport and other travel documents with the court’s registry. However, a search revealed that the passport was not currently in the registry’s custody.
Bello’s application indicated that his travel documents were with the Federal High Court. The court had previously adjourned the ruling on his application to July 17. Daudu stated that the application was for an order to release the passport for medical travel, supported by an affidavit of 13 grounds and a 22-paragraph affidavit by Bello. The EFCC counsel had filed a counter-affidavit opposing the application.
