The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday reduced the ₦2 billion bail bond earlier imposed on the National President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bello Bodejo, to ₦1 billion in his ongoing money laundering trial.

Justice Salim Ibrahim, sitting as the court’s vacation judge, varied the bail conditions following an application filed by Bodejo’s counsel, Mohammed Sheriff.

Bodejo was arraigned on July 9 before Justice Inyang Ekwo on six counts filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. He pleaded not guilty to the charges, and the case was adjourned until October 5 for the commencement of trial.

The alleged offences include receiving foreign currency cash payments above the statutory transaction limit prescribed by Nigeria’s anti-money laundering law.

On July 20, Justice Ekwo granted Bodejo bail in the sum of ₦2 billion with two sureties.

The court had ordered that one of the sureties must reside in Abuja and present evidence of three years’ tax clearance, while the second was required to provide proof of ownership of landed property valued at ₦2 billion within the Federal Capital Territory.

Justice Ekwo also fixed October 5, 6 and 7 for the commencement and continuation of the trial.

Three days after the bail ruling, Bodejo applied for a variation of the conditions, but Justice Ekwo declined to hear the application before the court’s annual vacation.

The judge explained that because the EFCC opposed the application, the proceedings might not be concluded before the vacation began on Monday, July 27.

He consequently advised the parties to approach a vacation judge for the determination of the application, after which the substantive case would return to his court for trial.

At Wednesday’s proceedings, EFCC counsel Fatal Erewunmi opposed the defence’s request for a reduction of the bail conditions.

Justice Ibrahim, however, held that the defence had presented sufficient grounds to justify varying the conditions and consequently reduced the bail bond from ₦2 billion to ₦1 billion.

The court ordered Bodejo to produce two sureties to guarantee the bail bond.

One of the sureties must own landed property valued at ₦1 billion in Guzape, Asokoro or Maitama districts of Abuja.

The judge also directed both sureties to submit photocopies of their driver’s licences, National Identification Numbers or international passports to the court.

Justice Ibrahim ordered that the case file be returned to Justice Ekwo after the court’s annual vacation for the continuation of the trial.

The EFCC accused Bodejo of receiving $100,000 from Sa’idu Abubakar, a former Accountant-General of Bauchi State who was said to be in the lawful custody of the Nigeria Police Force, alongside other alleged cash payments in foreign currency.

According to the commission, the payment exceeded the statutory cash transaction threshold of ₦5 million prescribed under Section 1(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011, as amended, and was allegedly received without being routed through a financial institution.

The EFCC said the alleged offence was contrary to Section 16(1)(d) of the Act and punishable under Section 16(2)(b).

Bodejo has denied the allegations, and the charges have not yet been determined by the court.

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