The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has fixed the alleged money laundering case filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against the immediate-past Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello to October 30, 2024.
The former governor has however, moved to the Supreme Court to file an appeal seeking to set aside the arrest warrant issued by the trial court against him on April 17.
When the matter came up for hearing on Wednesday, the Defense Counsel, A.M. Adoyi, drew the court’s attention to the fact that the issue of arraignment of the defendant was the subject matter of an appeal already entered by him at the Supreme Court.
He drew the court’s attention to the appeal by virtue of the affidavit of record filed on September 23.
“The appeal number is SC/CR/847/2024 and SC/CR/848/2024. That means the most appropriate thing to do is to await the decision of the Supreme Court in the aforesaid appeal before taking any step for arraignment so as not to render the appellant’s appeal null or to pull the rug out of the feet of the Supreme Court,” the Bello’s lawyer said.
Counsel for the EFCC, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, however, in his submission told the court that the Defendant’s Counsel were turning the court into a place for entertainment.
He said, “Secondly, an appeal the defendant filed at the Court of Appeal disputing the mode of service of the charge and proof of evidence on their counsel was dismissed by the Court of Appeal on the 28th of August this year.
“The Court of Appeal said the mode of service was good and proper service. The appellant shall not take any further step until he submits himself. But they took another step.”
Pinheiro added, “They have three applications on this – two before your lordship and one before the Supreme Court. I will now urge your lordship to demonstrate audacity of coercive power on him.”
On his part, Adoyi, argued that the life issue of the matter slated for today (Wednesday), which is the arraignment, “is subject to an appeal by the defendant at the Supreme Court.”
“In the interest of justice, we should await the decision of the Supreme Court on the issue,” he urged the court.
Justice Emeka Nwite said with the submissions made by the counsels, he would have to decide the issues raised, and adjourned to October 30, 2024 to rule on the matter.
