The Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected an application by Bello Bodejo, president of Miyetti Allah Kauta Kore, to reduce conditions tied to his N2 billion bail. Justice Inyang Ekwo ruled on Thursday that the court lacked sufficient time to hear the matter before its annual vacation began.
The judge noted that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was opposing the request, making the decision more complex. He instructed both sides to approach a vacation judge during the court's break instead.
Bodejo granted himself bail on Monday with stringent requirements. The conditions demand two sureties, each worth N2 billion, with one providing three years of tax clearance documents and residing within court jurisdiction, while the second must own Abuja land valued at N2 billion.
During Thursday's hearing, Bodejo's lawyer, Mohammed Sheriff, told the court his client found the bail terms impossible to satisfy. The EFCC counsel, Fatai Erewunmi, countered that his agency had filed opposing documents to block any modification.
The EFCC is prosecuting Bodejo on money laundering allegations involving $2.63 million in suspicious transactions. The commission claims he received $100,000 from Sa'idu Abubakar, former Accountant-General of Bauchi State, who remains in police custody.
According to investigators, the payment breached Nigeria's N5 million cash transaction threshold for untraceable funds. The money wasn't processed through any bank as required by law.
The alleged breach violates the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022, the EFCC said. Justice Ekwo scheduled the trial's commencement for October 5 and indicated the case would return to his court after the vacation period ends.
