EFCC tackles  Yahaya Bello’s  non-appearance in court for arraignment

Lead prosecution counsel in the trial of former governor of Kogi State Yahaya Adoza Bello, Kemi Pinheiro SAN, on Wednesday, September 25, 2024 told Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja that the  recent appearance of Bello at the parking lots of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,  EFCC, was out of place as both the trial court and Court of Appeal clearly ordered him to present himself for arraignment  in the N80.2billion money laundering charges preferred against him by the EFCC.

“There is nowhere my Lordship or the Court of Appeal ordered that Yahaya Bello  present himself at the EFCC car park, but rather to appear before my Lordship for arraignment. What is even more worrisome and disconcerting is that the defendant went to the EFCC car park holding the hands of a person with immunity who came with all the full security of his office”

“The implication, my Lord,  is if there was an attempt to get him from the person of immunity, there would be an invitation to anarchy.  The invitation by the EFCC later in the day for Yahaya Bello to come alone, not with a person with immunity, security persons and other people was resisted again on their own admission”, he said.

Speaking further, Pinheiro  pointed out that, “My Lord,  we wrote a letter to the defendant’s lawyers drawing our colleagues’ attention that arraignment is not conducted in EFCC’s car park, but the defendant should be in court today according to the judgment of the Court of Appeal and this honourable court’s  ruling”.

Pinheiro also urged the judge to demonstrate his might and  exercise his power to show Bello’s counsel A.M Agboyi that the court is not a vaudeville for entertainment but for serious business.

“This court is not a vaudeville, a vaudeville is a place of diverse  entertainment.  I want to borrow the words of Justice Uwaifo  that no party should make a court a place of entertainment. The court must resist it. It is a place of serious and solemn business”, he said.  He specifically sought the order of the court for Agboyi to be sanctioned and referred to the Legal  Practitioners  Disciplinary Committee , LPDC, for turning the court to a vaudeville.

My Lord, it is against this backdrop that I will make this assertion that my learned friend wants to turn this place to an entertainment place or a  casino.  I want the court to use its power against him, because his senior advocates have left and they pushed him, so that it will serve as a lesson to others,” he said.  He also sought leave of the court to proceed to the trial of  Bello in absentia.

Meanwhile, Abdul Mohammed SAN, counsel to Adeola Adedipe SAN, craved the indulgence of the court to exercise its discretion not to charge Adedipe for contempt.

“Our application is filed on the 18th  of July 2024, it is supported by an 11- paragraph affidavit deposed to by the applicant Mr. Adeola Adedipe. That affidavit has an exhibit marked A, and in compliance with my Lord is a written address.

“We are urging my Lord to exercise his discretion, we are on bended knees begging you to exercise your discretion and grant the prayers that are contained in the affidavit”, he said.

After listening to the counsels, Justice Nwite stressed that “the matter is slated for arraignment, and it seems it has gone back to square one. It’s been over five months now and  I don’t know how the case is going . With the submission made by counsels this morning, it’s quite unfortunate, but I have to reserve my comments, I have to reserve judgement on the submission of these counsels”.

He thereafter adjourned the matter till October 30, 2024 for arraignment and ruling.

The EFCC is prosecuting Bello on 18-count charges bordering on money laundering to the tune of N80.2billion.