The embattled former Governor of Kogi State Yahaya Bello has again ignored the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) order to appear in court on Wednesday to face trial on alleged N80.2 billion money laundering charges.
Penpushing reports that Bello has been severally re-scheduled for arraignment while the Wednesday expected appearance is the seventh he has snubbed since the first attempt by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arraign him in April.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Abdulwahab Muhammed who is the lead defence lawyer, was also absent from court but was represented by his junior, A.M. Adoyi, who informed the court that his client filed appeals at the Supreme Court against the order of the Court of Appeal directing him to appear for arraignment and against the warrant of arrest issued against him.
Penpushing further reports that Adoyi explained that the appeals were filed at the Supreme Court on September 23, 2024, which was five days after his dramatic visit to headquarters of the crimes commission September 18,2024.
‘That means the most appropriate thing to do is to await the decision of the Supreme Court in the aforesaid appeal before taking any step for arraignment so as not to render the appellant’s appeal null or to pull the rug out from under the feet of the Supreme Court’, he argued.
Penpushing also reports that Adoyi argument contradicts Bello’s earlier claim that he decided to submit himself to the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on September 18, 2024 because he had exhausted all legal mechanisms challenging his trial.
The prosecuting counsel of the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Kemi Pinheiro, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), dismissed Adoyi’s comment, pointing out that the defence lawyer was trying to turn the court into an entertainment venue
Penpushing reports that Pinheiro, however, urged the court to use its coercive power to punish him as a lesson to juniors, recalling that the court had adjourned several times for the defendant to present himself for arraignment.
‘Even sanctions have been imposed on his lawyers, in reference to a 17 July order of the court referring Mr Bello’s two most senior defence lawyers to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) for probe over alleged professional misconduct’, he added.
“The Court of Appeal said the mode of service was good and proper service. The court ruled that the appellant shall not take any further step until he submits himself. But they took another step, Pinheiro stated.
Penpushing further reports that the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) said he was in court with two prosecution witnesses in hopes that Bello would appear for his arraignment and trial would begin thereafter.
Meanwhile, the defence lawyer in his reactions insisted that the court should await the decision of the Supreme Court before going into the arraignment of the defendant, but after various positions of the prosecuting and defence lawyers the judge adjourned the case until 30 October for ruling and possible arraignment.
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