The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), yesterday arraigned the Kogi governor’s wife, Rashida Bello, and his nephew, Ali Bello before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court.
The duo, alongside three others, are standing trial over an alleged N3 billion money laundering and ‘criminal misappropriation’, according to a statement by EFCC spokesman Wilson Uwajiaren.
Count One of the charges reads: “That you, Ali Bello, Abba Adaudu, Yakubu Siyaka Adabenege, Iyada Sadat, Rashida Bello (at large) sometime in June, 2020 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court procured E- Traders International Limited to retain the aggregate sum of three billion, eighty-one million, eight hundred and four thousand, six hundred and fifty-four Naira, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful activity to wit: criminal misappropriation, and you thereby committed an offense contrary to sections 18(a), 15(20)(d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act”.
The defendants are charged with 18 counts. Mrs. Bello is, however, at large.
