#ArmsGate: Ex-PDP Chairman Shows Up In Court In A Wheelchair [PHOTO]

 Former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Haliru Bello, who was arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja for his alleged role in the $2.1billion arms deal fraud, arrived in a wheelchair.

According to The Punch, Bello’s lawyer, Mr. Abdulaziz Ibrahim urged the judge to allow his client to remain on his wheel chair in the dock during the proceedings. The judge acceded to the request but Bello’s son has taken position in the dock.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had charged Bello, who is also a former Minister of Defence, and his son, along with their firm, Bam Properties.

The charges read, “That you BELLO ABBA MOHAMMED, BAM PROJECTS AND PROPERTIES LTD and DOCTOR ALIRU BELLO on or about 17th March 2015 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, took possession of the sum of N300,000,000. 00 (Three Hundred Million Naira) paid into the account of Bam project and properties limited with Sterling Bank Plc from the account of the office of National Security Adviser with the Central Bank of Nigeria when you reasonably ought to have known that the said fund formed part of the proceed of an unlawful activity of COL. MOHAMMED SAMBO DASUKI (RTD) the then National Security Adviser (to wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under section 15(3) of the same Act.
“That you BELLO ABBA MOHAMMED, BAM PROJECTS AND PROPERTIES LTD and DOCTOR ALIRU BELLO on or about 17th March 2015 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, converted the sum of N300,000,000. 00 (Three Hundred Million Naira) which sum was transferred from the account of the office of the National Security of Nigeria with the Central Bank of Nigeria for the purporting same to be for ‘Safe Houses” but which you claimed to have received for political campaign and when you reasonably ought to have known that the said fund formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity of COL. MOHAMMED SAMBO DASUKI (RTD) the then National Security Adviser (to wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15 (2) (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under section 15(3) of the same Act.
“That you BELLO ABBA MOHAMMED and BAM PROJECTS AND PROPERTIES LTD on or about 17th March 2015 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did retain the sum of N300,000,000. 00 (Three Hundred Million Naira) on behalf of DOCTOR ALIRU BELLO and COL. MOHAMMED SAMBO DASUKI (RTD) the former Chairman of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and National Security Adviser respectively by concealing the said sum in your account with Sterling Bank Plc when you knew the said Doctor Aliru Bello and Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (RTD) to be engaged in a criminal conduct; to wit: theft of public fund for a political activity and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 17 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under section 17(b) of the same Act.
“That you BELLO ABBA MOHAMMED, BAM PROJECTS AND PROPERTIES LTD and DOCTOR ALIRU BELLO on or about 17th March 2015 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did conspired to launder the sum of N300,000,000. 00 (Three Hundred Million Naira) which sum you claimed to have received for political campaign and when you reasonably ought to have known that the said fund formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity of COL. MOHAMMED SAMBO DASUKI (RTD) the then National Security Adviser (to wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under section 15(3) of the same Act.”Abbah Mohammed and Haliru Bello plead not guilty to the first count

Abbah Mohammed and Haliru Bello plead not guilty to the four counts.
Prosecution applies that the court gives trial dates and urge that the accused persons be remanded in prison.
Still ongoing….