The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has leveled fresh 16-count charges of fraud against the former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello. The charges were filed at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court by EFCC counsels Kemi Pinheiro, Rotimi Oyedepo, and seven other lawyers. Alongside Bello, two other defendants, Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalam Hudu, have also been named in the case.This development follows the former governor’s absence at a Federal High Court in Abuja, where he was previously being tried for alleged fraud involving N80.2 billion. The EFCC's new charge sheet reveals additional alleged fraud amounting to N110.4 billion, which the agency uncovered during its ongoing investigations.Part of the charge sheet reads, “That you, YAHAYA ADOZA BELLO, UMAR SHUAIBU ORICHA and ABDULSALAMI HUDU sometimes in 2016 in Abuja, within the jurisdictions of this Honourable Court agreed amongst yourselves to cause to be done an illegal act to wit: criminal breach of trust in respect of the total sum N110,446,470,089.00 entrusted to you.”
