Ex-Gov will stay in detention On Friday, the Federal High Court in Abuja postponed its hearing on the N80 billion fraud case against Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, to December 13, 2024, in order to consider a motion for abridgment and potential arraignment.
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In the interest of a fair hearing, Justice Emeka Nwite postponed the sitting, pointing out that the case had already been postponed until January 21, 2025. The former governor was questioned about why his attorneys were not present in court when the case was called on Friday. He said he was unable to get in touch with his attorneys to attend the court since he was only made aware of the sitting late Thursday night. Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, the EFCC Counsel, demanded that the Defendant’s plea be accepted.
“What the law requires is the presence of the Defendant, not the presence of his lawyers,” he said. The judge, however, refused. “The matter came up on the 30th of October 2024,” Justice Nwite stated in a brief verdict. It was postponed until January 21, 2025. According to the defendant’s declaration, his attorneys are unaware of the current date. I will not continue with arraignment in the interest of a fair hearing.
“While we return to take that, the prosecution should provide the defendant’s attorney with the application for abridgment of time. “This is an odd situation. It’s strange because we’ve already decided on a date, which is in January.If the case is handled without the defendant’s legal representation, it will be unfair. If the defendant didn’t have legal representation, it would be something else entirely,” the judge stated.
The Court recommended that the motion for abridgment be filed on December 13, 2024. The EFCC attorney, however, requested that the date be set for the motion and potential arraignment and that the court mandate that the defendant be held in EFCC custody until December 13th, when he is scheduled to appear in court.
The judge gave the order after agreeing. He ordered that the defendant be held in the custody of the EFCC until December 13 and that hearing notices be sent to the defendant’s attorney. Remember that Justice Nwite postponed arraignment until January 21, 2025, during the previous hearing on October 30. However, the EFCC had requested that the originally scheduled court date be shortened.
However, notice was not given to the defendant’s attorneys. Due to a new N110 billion allegation brought before Federal Capital Territory High Court Judge Maryann Anenih, former Governor Bello is already under EFCC detention.
He and his co-defendants were to remain in the Commission’s custody until the decision on his bail application was postponed until December 10.
