UPDATE: EFCC SERVES YAHAYA BELLO’S LAWYER CHARGE SHEET IN COURT
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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has given Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, and his counsel, Abdulwahab Mohamed, a copy of the charge sheet alleging N84 billion in fraudulent activities.
In response to Bello’s absence from court on Tuesday, Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja issued an order.
At his arraignment on a 19-count allegation of suspected ₦84 billion money laundering, he did not appear in court.
The judge instructed the attorney for the most recent governor to obtain a copy of the charge based on sections 384(4) and (5) of the Administrative and Criminal Justice Act 2015.
The court decided that alternative methods could be used to serve a defendant with legal papers in cases where it was no longer possible to do so personally.
Judge Nwite went on to say that it was evident that the former governor had neglected to show up for his arraignment.
Bello’s attorney, Mohammed, was forced to accept the allegations and supporting documentation by Justice Nwite, despite his initial refusal.
The senior attorney’s request that AI Musa, a junior member of his team, take the case on behalf of the former governor was denied by the judge.
Adedayo Adedipe, a member of Bello’s legal team, informed the court that although his client would have made himself accessible, he was concerned about not receiving a fair trial and justice.
He continued by saying that Bello was prepared to appear in court and respond to the 19-count accusation that the EFCC had brought against him.
Adedipe begged the court to overturn the ex-parte order of arrest it had previously issued against the former governor, arguing that his client had not yet been charged at the time the order of arrest was imposed.
Bello had maintained that the EFCC was an unlawful entity. He claims that before passing the EFCC Act via the National Assembly, the federal government did not confer with the 36 states of the union. He continued by saying that the act could not take effect unless the various Houses of Assembly ratified it in accordance with Section 12 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
However, Kemi Phinheiro, the EFCC’s attorney, asked the court to reject the application, arguing that the arrest warrant shouldn’t be revoked until the defendant appears in court.
He maintained that Bello lacked the legal justification to submit multiple applications while concealing.
Following an application by the EFCC, Justice Nwite issued a bench warrant against Bello last week.
The former governor was later listed as wanted by the EFCC due to his repeated absences from court and attempts to evade the accusations brought against him.
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