Alleged 80.2bn Money Laundering: Yahaya Bello To Be Arraigned June 27
By Anne Osemekeh, Abuja
Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, has adjourned the arraignment of former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, to June 27 2024.
According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in a statement on Thursday by its spokesman, Dele Oyewale, the adjournment had become necessary due to discrepancies between the EFCC and defence counsels on the actual date of Bello’s appearance in court for his arraignment.
While defence counsel, Adeola Adedipe, SAN, told the court that EFCC lead counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, requested for a new date owing to the fact that the June 13 date was not convenient for him, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, one of the prosecution counsels denied any request for a new date of arraignment.
Addressing the court on the issue, Oyedepo stated that “the defence made an undertaking to produce the defendant today, so my Lord, assuming that there was any conversation between the defence and the prosecution to adjourn the matter, the main issue of today is the appearance of the defendant, but they refused to bring him to court. Instead of admitting to this, he is bringing the prosecution into it. I’m appealing that the court should not entertain any application from them till they bring the defendant or show where he is and stop blaming us and the officers of the court, and also apologize to us and the court for not bringing their client to court”.
Meanwhile, Adedipe apologised to the court for the defendant’s absence, and also tendered apologies to the prosecution, maintaing that the misrepresentation was “based on the agreement of the lead counsels. So I’m applying the matter to June 27, 2024′.
