The immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, on Friday, pleaded not guilty to 19 charges of money laundering amounting to ₦80 billion, brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
During the hearing at the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday, the prosecution, represented by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Kemi Pinheiro, informed the court of their decision to withdraw an earlier application for abridgement of the arraignment date, noting that the application had been overtaken by events.
The defence, led by Joseph Daudu, SAN, did not oppose the withdrawal, and Justice Emeka Nwite granted the request.
Bello, who served as governor from 2016 to 2023, faces allegations of financial misconduct during his tenure, but he denied all the charges during his arraignment.
