Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed December 13 for the arraignment of a former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, over an alleged N80 billion fraud case brought against him by the Economic and FianncialnCrimes Commission.
The court turned down a request to arraign the former governor without his counsel in court.
When the case was called yesterday, the former governor was asked why his lawyers were not in court. He said he was only informed of the sitting on Thursday night and could not contact his lawyers to be in court.
EFCC Counsel, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), said the defendant’s plea be taken.
“What the law requires is the presence of the defendant, not the presence of his lawyers,” he argued, but the judge declined.
While delivering a short ruling, Justice Nwite said, “The matter came up on the 30th of October 2024. It was adjourned to 21st January 2025. From the statement of the Defendant, his Lawyers are not aware of today’s date. In the interest of fair hearing, I will not proceed for arraignment.
“The prosecution should serve the defendant’s lawyer with the application for abridgment of time while we come back to take that.
“This matter is peculiar. It is peculiar in the sense that we have already agreed on a date, which is in January.
“It will be unfair if the matter is taken without the defendant’s counsel. It would be a different thing if the defendant had no counsel,” the judge said.
The court suggested December 13, 2024 for the motion for abridgment.
However, the EFCC counsel applied that the date for motion and possible arraignment and that the court should order that the defendant should remain in EFCC custody till the 13th of December when he is to appear before the Court. The judge agreed and so ordered.
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