See Reasons Court Rejects Arraignment of Kogi Former Governor Yahaya Bello, Adjourns Case to December
A Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite, on Friday, refused to proceed with the arraignment of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, in the absence of his lawyer.
Bello, who is facing a 19-count charge related to money laundering amounting to N84 billion, was scheduled for arraignment on Friday. However, his counsel, Abdulwahab Mohammed, SAN, was not present in court, as he was reportedly unaware that the case would be heard on that day.
In addition to the charges in Abuja, Bello is also facing a separate 16-count fraud charge, totaling N110.4 billion, at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, where he had previously been arraigned.
As the court session began and the charges were about to be read, Justice Nwite noticed the absence of Bello’s counsel and inquired about the reason. Bello explained that he had only learned of the arraignment late on Thursday evening and had been unable to reach his lawyer in time.
Despite this, the EFCC’s counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, urged the court to proceed with the arraignment, arguing that the law only required the presence of the defendant, not necessarily his lawyer.
However, Justice Nwite disagreed, emphasizing that proceeding without legal counsel would violate Bello’s right to a fair hearing. He acknowledged the defendant’s late notice of the arraignment and decided to adjourn the case.
After a brief delay, Justice Nwite scheduled the next hearing for December 13, 2024, to allow for proper arraignment. Pinheiro requested that the adjournment be noted as a motion hearing with the possibility of an arraignment, and asked that Bello remain in the EFCC’s custody until the new date.
The judge granted this request, ordering that Bello be held in EFCC custody until the adjourned date and that his counsel be properly notified.
