An Abuja High Court yesterday remanded the immediate past Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello in the Kuje Correctional Centre pending his bail application.

Bello is standing trial alongside two others over alleged N110 billion money laundering case brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Justice Maryann Anenih also adjourned till January 29 and 30 and February 25 and 27 for hearing. Justice Anenih refused to grant Bello’s bail application on the grounds that it was filed prematurely.

Arguing his bail application, defendant’s counsel JB Daudu (SAN) urged the court to exercise its discretion judicially and judiciously to grant the bail.

In opposing, the prosecution counsel Kemi Pinheiro (SAN) argued that the instant application was grossly incompetent, having been filed before arraignment.

He said it ought to be filed after arraignment. However, the 1st defendant’s counsel disagreed, saying there was no authority “that says that an application can only be filed when it is ripe for hearing”.

Justice Anenih said: “The instant application for bail showed that it was filed on 22nd of November. This shows that it was filed several days after the 1st defendant was taken into custody.”

Reading from the ACJA, the judge said the provision provided that an application for bail could be made when a defendant had been arrested, detained, arraigned or brought before the court.

Justice Anenih further held that having been filed when the 1st defendant was neither in custody nor before the court, the instant application was incompetent.