Bello Mohammed, a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, has been re-presented before Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court Abuja, facing allegations of involvement in a purported N300 million scam.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) initiated the new legal proceedings against him.
He was arraigned on a quartet of charges linked to his purported complicity in the misappropriation of funds earmarked for the acquisition of weaponry via the office of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki.
He stood trial alongside his business entity, Bam Projects and Properties Ltd, accused of criminal breach of trust and money laundering.
During the court session, the defendants entered pleas of not guilty to all charges, following which the EFCC’s legal representative requested a schedule for the trial.
Nonetheless, the defense counsel, Kanu Agabi, implored the court to permit Mohammed to remain on the existing bail granted by Justice Ahmed Mohammed.
The seasoned lawyer contended that Mohammed had not violated the prior bail terms and asserted his client’s commitment to adhering to the conditions.
While Atolagbe did not contest Agabi’s motion, he highlighted that Mohammed’s bail had once been revoked for noncompliance with the terms.
Justice Lifu, after granting Mohammed bail on the conditions previously set by a related court, scheduled the trial for May 7 and May 8.
In the first charge, the company, the former PDP leader, and his deceased son, Bello Abba Mohammed, were accused of receiving the sum of N300 million deposited into the account of Bam Project and Properties Ltd with Sterling Bank Plc from the account of the NSA’s office with the Central Bank of Nigeria around March 17, 2015.
The EFCC asserted that the funds constituted proceeds from an illicit activity involving Col. Dasuki (rtd.), contravening Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (amended in 2012), and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
The former PDP chairman had previously faced charges before Justice Mohammed of the Federal High Court in Abuja on January 5, 2016, and was granted bail on January 7, 2016.
However, with Justice Mohammed’s recent elevation to the Court of Appeal, the case necessitated a fresh commencement despite its advanced stage.
