Former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello will be arraigned at the Federal High Court Abuja on Friday, December 13, 2024.
On Friday, November 29, 2024, Justice Emeka Nwite directed the court’s Registrar to issue a hearing notice to Bello’s legal team regarding his arraignment.
Bello is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on 19-count charge of money laundering to the tune of N80.2 billion.
Addressing the court about the former governor’s presence in court, prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, urged the court to proceed with the arraignment, stating that the defendant’s presence satisfied the legal requirement for the process.
“In view of his physical presence in court and relying on Sections 271-277 and Section 392 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), I respectfully apply that the charge be read to the defendant, his plea be taken, and my lordship adjourn for further proceedings,” he said. He referenced two Court of Appeal rulings, dated August 20, 2024, which upheld a defendant’s presence in court as satisfactory enough for his arraignment and further buttressed his position with the fact that Bello had failed to appear in court on several occasions, prompting an application for his trial in absentia.
Bello in his response, informed the court that he had not mobilized his legal team on the arraignment and pleaded for time to do so.
Justice Nwite, in a short ruling, adjourned to December 13, 2024, to enable the prosecution to serve the defendant’s counsel with the necessary processes.
In addition, the court directed the registrar to issue a hearing notice to Bello’s legal team and ordered that the former governor be remanded in the custody of the EFCC.
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