Kogi State first lady, Mrs Rashidat Yahaya Bello who was declared wanted in connection with money laundering to the tune of over N3 billion by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, was on Thursday sighted at the Aso Rock Villa.
CAPITAL POST reported that she was declared wanted for evading arraignment in Court alongside other accomplices who were remanded in prison custody defrauding Kogi State government and laundering the same funds.
Having not appeared in Court, the anti-graft agency sought the leave of Court to declare her wanted in absentia and the Abuja division of the Federal High Court granted the request.
This is the second time the first lady would make appearance at the presidential Villa since she was declared wanted, having announced her presence at a meeting with Mrs Buhari and Remi Tinubu at the Villa on Monday, few weeks after the anti-graft agency declared her wanted.
“Few days ago at the Presidential Villa where the wife of the president-elect, (the) wife of the vice-president-elect, myself and other governor’s wives, as well as APC stakeholders and members, paid a courtesy visit to the mother of the nation, Dr (Mrs) Aisha Buhari,” Mrs Bello said in a Facebook post on Monday, sharing photos of herself in the company of the women.
EFCC’s spokesman Wilson Uwujaren told Peoples Gazette that “the matter is in court” when asked on Thursday about the anti-graft agency’s claim that Mrs Bello is at large.
“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 N3,081,804,654.00 which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful activity to wit: criminal misappropriation, and you thereby committed an offence 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,” said count one of the charge.
Her appearance was at the backdrop of rumours that she has eloped to Dubai at a time in February, 2023 when she was expected in Court.
