The judge hearing a fraud case brought against former Governor of Kogi State Yahaya Bello at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, in Abuja, Justice Maryanne Anenih angrily left the courtroom over rowdiness caused by supporters of the accused.
Penpushing reports that Bello was arraigned alongside two others on Wednesday resulting in rowdiness caused by his supporters who stormed the courtroom, a development which the judge frowned at and announced that anyone not connected to the case, including lawyers, should leave the courtroom.
The judge declared that she would not to come back until sanity was restored in the court room, and shortly after the judge left, the embattled former Governor who sat in the front row of the court room, jumped up and moved to the crowd, mostly his supporters, clogging the courtroom from the doorway.
Penpushing further reports that Bello immediately directed his supporters to vacate their seats and leave the court room, and his actions doused the tension as without resistance, the followers left the court room one after the other.
The former Governor, however, sat at the entrance to the court room and ensured that none of his followers disobeyed the order of the court, in ensuring that sanity return in the court room, while his aides and followers patiently obeyed his instructions and left the court one after the other.
Penpushing also reports that a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Kemi Pinheiro, leads the prosecution, while Joseph Daudu, also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), leads the legal team of the former governor.
The former Governor who was arraigned by the Economic and Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged charges of diversion of N110 billion in public funds, however, when the case was brought up pleaded not guilty to charges.
Penpushing reports that the other arraigned persons with Bello include Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu accused of conspiring with the former Governor in the alleged diversion, 16 counts brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Meanwhile, Wednesday arraignment was Bello’s first court appearance after months of intense efforts to avoid trial and shunning court summonses to answer the corruption charges pending against him in two courts.
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