Why Yahaya Bello’s Second Arraignment For ‘N80.2b Fraud’ Was Stalled

The arraignment of former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, was stalled on Friday as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) brought him to court without his lawyers present.

Bello alongside his co-defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, was to be arraigned before Justice Emeka Nwite on a 19-count charge of money laundering, fraud and misappropriation of funds to the tune of N80.2bn.

Justice Nwite had on April 17 issued a warrant for the arrest of the former governor following his repeated failure to appear before the court for his arraignment.

However, after several months of evading arrest, Bello, last Tuesday, surrendered himself to the EFCC.

On Wednesday, he was arraigned in a different suit before Justice Maryanne Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) high court where he pleaded not guilty to money laundering charges to the tune of N110bn and was remanded in custody of the EFCC.

Justice Nwite who originally adjourned the N80.2bn alleged fraud case till January 21, 2025, was persuaded by the anti-graft agency to shorten the date.

At Friday’s proceedings, Justice Nwite noted that since the defendants have no legal representation, the arraignment will not go on as planned.

Bello informed the court that he learnt about the arrangement on Thursday night and was unable to reach any of his lawyers.

Counsel for the anti-graft agency, Kemi Pinheiro, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, argued that the arraignment could still go on, but Justice Nwite said such action amounts to a breach of the defendant’s fundamental rights to fair hearing.

Justice Nwite ordered the EFCC to serve the defendant’s lawyers with a hearing notice and subsequently fixed December 13 for arraignment.

Why Yahaya Bello’s Second Arraignment For ‘N80.2b Fraud’ Was Stalled is first published on The Whistler Newspaper