The former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, appeared in court on Friday and pleaded not guilty to an 18-count charge levelled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The charges, which relate to money laundering, breach of trust, and misappropriation of public funds, involve a staggering sum of approximately N80.2 billion.
Upon the reading of the charges, Bello emphatically denied all accusations, stating he was not guilty of any of the counts.
During the proceedings, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, representing the EFCC, informed Justice Emeka Nwite at the Federal High Court in Abuja that the prosecution wished to withdraw a previous application that sought an abridged date for the arraignment.
Pinheiro noted that the application had become irrelevant due to subsequent developments.
The defence counsel, Joseph Daudu, SAN, did not oppose the motion, and Justice Nwite granted the request, allowing the case to proceed as planned.
The case, which has drawn significant attention due to its scale, continues to unfold, with the defendant denying all allegations of financial misconduct.
