By Hammed hammed From Osun State
Former Kogi kingdom Governor Yahaya Bello snubbed the Federal excessive courtroom in Abuja once more on Thursday, stalling, for the 5th time, his scheduled arraignment for the N80 billion cash laundering expenses pending in opposition to him.
in preference to appearing in court, the previous governor sent his attorneys to request the switch of the case to the courtroom’s division in Lokoja, the Kogi state capital.
Mr Bello, who left workplace as governor of Kogi kingdom in January, faces 19 counts of cash laundering concerning over N80 billion allegedly diverted from the coffers of Kogi kingdom in the course of his time as governor.
EFCC filed the charges after Mr Bello left office and misplaced his immunity from criminal prosecution. however, the employer has not been able to bring him to courtroom.
earlier than Thursday’s lawsuits that he snubbed, Mr Bello had avoided courtroom periods scheduled for his arraignment on 18 April, 23 April, 10 might also, and thirteen June.
Request for switch
on the re-scheduled lawsuits on Thursday, his lawyer, Adeola Adedipe, a Senior suggest of Nigeria (SAN), informed the trial decide, Emeka Nwite, of the defence group’s request for switch of the case to Mr Bello’s domestic country.
Mr Adedipe knowledgeable the choose, Emeka Nwite, that the defence had despatched a letter to the court docket’s leader judge inquiring for the switch of the case to Lokoja.
Mr Adedipe said the request to switch the case is based on their legal attention that Lokoja is a more appropriate territorial jurisdiction to pay attention the matter.
“despite the fact that the letter inquiring for the transfer of this be counted to Lokoja changed into written by Yahaya Bello’s lead suggest, Abdulwahab Mohammed, SAN, i am, but, underneath duty to attract the eye of this honourable courtroom to the problem,” Mr Adedipe stated.
He brought, “We requested in substance that this remember be administratively transferred to the Federal high court, Lokoja Judicial division, which we agree with has territorial jurisdiction to deal with this count.”
Mr Adedipe stated the defence additionally wrote a letter on 13 June to inform the prosecuting organization, the financial and economic Crimes commission (EFCC), approximately the defendant’s request.
He said the letter to the EFCC become sent thru Rotimi Oyedepo, a SAN and senior prosecution team member.
Mr Adedipe also told the choose that the leader decide’s office has despatched correspondence dated 14 June to the prosecution to ask for their stance at the request.
in keeping with the news organisation of Nigeria (NAN), Joshua Ibrahim Aji, a unique Assistant to the leader decide, signed the 14 June letter addressed to Mr Oyedepo of the EFCC.
“you may locate connected the reproduction of a letter by way of recommend to the defendant on the above concern depend, dated 10 June 2024.
“i’m directed through His Lordship, the Honourable, the chief choose to ahead the letter to you in your response within 6 (six) days of receipt,” Mr Aji, the leader judge’s aide, wrote.
EFCC opposes call for transfer
but, the EFCC’s lead suggest, Kemi Pinheiro, a SAN, antagonistic the case transfer software, describing it as an try and frustrate the trial.
The EFCC lawyer entreated the choose to keep Messrs Adedipe and Mohammed, the 2 senior advocates in the defence crew, chargeable for their incapability to provide their customer in courtroom no matter their task.
The EFCC attorney additionally urged the court docket to cite the 2 SANs for contempt for violating the challenge they gave the courtroom at preceding proceedings.
Defence responds again
however Mr Adedipe, in reaction to Mr Pinheiro, said he become no longer Mr Bello’s lead counsel. He mentioned that he had no longer made any project regarding the manufacturing of Mr Bello in court docket.
He accused the prosecution of malice and misrepresentation.
Mr Adedipe similarly informed the court docket of his intention to withdraw his illustration for Mr Bello, citing segment 349(eight) of the administration of crook Justice Act, 2015.
but, the EFCC’s suggest argued that it became too overdue for the defence legal professional to withdraw and advised the court to set an example.
meanwhile, the choose, Mr Nwite, adjourned the matter till 17 July for the arraignment of the former governor and ruling on EFCC’s request to cite the 2 senior attorneys for contempt.
Stiff resistance to trial
Efforts by means of the EFCC to arraign Mr Bello for the pending N80 billion cash laundering charges have failed, with the former governor refusing to attend court docket on distinct occasions on the grounds that April.
Mr Bello anchored his refusal to appear in court at the Kogi state excessive court docket ruling shielding him from arrest. He accused the EFCC of disobeying the courtroom choice by filing prices towards him and making actions to arrest him.
but, the EFCC appealed against the decision. The anti-corruption enterprise insisted that it violated no court docket order by way of exercising its powers and relying on the arrest warrant issued with the aid of the Federal excessive court in Abuja on 17 April for his arrest to prosecute him.
The courtroom of enchantment in Abuja ruled in favour of EFCC on 13 June, asserting that “a court docket of regulation can’t avoid the EFCC or any law enforcement agency from investigating and prosecuting crime.”
Mr Bello has refused to wait court docket in spite of EFCC’s efforts and court docket orders to convey him for trial.
On 17 April, the day the courtroom issued a warrant for his arrest, EFCC attempted to impact his arrest at his house in Abuja. however, the pass changed into frustrated by means of the police attached to the premises. the former governor changed into finally sneaked away in his successor, Governor Ahmed Ododo’s convoy.
the next day, 18 April, Mr Bello refused to seem in court docket for his scheduled arraignment.
The anti-graft agency declared him wanted however has been unable to effect his arrest.
He snubbed subsequent proceedings on 23 April, pushing the courtroom to reserve that he be served the fees thru his lawyers.
He additionally did not display up in court docket on 10 might also whilst the judge rejected his attorney’s application seeking an order to halt his trial pending an attraction concerning his trial.
He in addition snubbed the courtroom on10 may additionally. Then, his attorneys undertook to supply him in court docket on thirteen June. but, the defendant failed to appear in court docket on thirteen June as his attorneys promised.
The court re-scheduled the arraignment for 27 June (Thursday).
once more, Mr Bello did now not show up on Thursday,, forcing the choose to similarly adjourn the arraignment until 17 July.
prices
within the prices pending in courtroom, EFCC accused Mr Bello, his nephew Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman and Abdulsalam Hudu (said to still be at large) of conspiring to transform the full sum of N80.2 billion public price range to private use in February 2016.
The fee alleged that Mr Bello and others “reasonably should have recognised” that the cash “forms a part of the proceeds of your illegal interest” – criminal breach of agree with.
EFCC additionally alleged in every other be counted that Mr Bello, between 26 July 2021 and 6 April 2022 in Abuja, aided a firm, E-buyers global limited, to hide the aggregate sum of over N3 billion (N3,081,804,654) in account number 1451458080 domiciled in get entry to bank %.
The anti-graft business enterprise has faced problems bringing Mr Bello to courtroom for arraignment.
Report and Update is from the news room of presshub media agency
