Court Grants Ailing Haliru Bello, Son N600m Bail

Source: thewillnigeria.com

BEVERLY HILLS, January 07, (THEWILL) – A former acting Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Haliru Bello, and his son, Abba, have been granted bail by a Federal High Court in Abuja, two days after they were brought before it to face money laundering charges.

Both of them were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for collecting about N300m from Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), then NSA.

As part of the bail conditions, the trial judge, Ahmed Mohammed ruled that Bello and his son deposit N300 million each for their bail with two sureties. He equally ordered them to deposit their international passports with the court‎ pending the determination of their trial.

According to the judge, the first surety must be a civil servant not below level 12, while the second must have properties in Abuja worth the bail sum.

Bello had on Monday appeared in court on a wheel chair, and was later permitted to receive medical treatment at the Abuja Clinic, under police protection.

Justice Mohammed said on Wednesday that the affidavits before the court showed that the claims of ill health by the former PDP boss and his son did not appear to be false.

He noted that the first defendant, Abba Bello, was said to have bronchial asthma, while his father had an injury in the spinal cord.

“Then it will be most unfair to refuse the bail application,” Mohammed said, ruling that Abba Bello be remanded at Kuje prison, while the older Bello should remain under the care of the Inspector General of Police, while receiving treatment at the Abuja Clinics.

He consequently adjourned the case till February 16 for commencement of trial.