Court Directs EFCC To Charge Yahaya Bello's Lawyer Over His Absence
Court directs the EFCC to charge Yahaya Bello's attorney, the former governor of Kogi in the meanwhile
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is mandated by an order from the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite, to serve former Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello's attorney, Abdulwahab Mohamed, with a charge.
Bello's failure to show up for his arraignment in court led to the taking of this action.
Yahaya Bello is accused of money laundering with 19 counts totaling N84 billion.
The judge allowed the charge to be served to Bello's attorney because ofhis absence by using sections 384 (4 and 5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.
Justice Nwite also stressed the use of replacement methods for serving legal procedures on a defendant when personal delivery is no longer feasible.
The former governor was not present for his arraignment, the court noted in the interim.
Kemi Pinheiro, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and the EFCC's principal counsel, delivered the application at the hearing.
Justice Nwite, the presiding officer, forced Bello's attorney, Abdulwahab Mohamed, to accept the allegations and supporting documentation after he had previously refused to do so.
Justice Nwite maintained the decision to serve Mohamed with the accusations, even though Bello's legal team pleaded for a junior attorney to take the case on behalf of the former governor.
Remember how the EFCC requested that Justice Nwite issue a bench warrant against Yahaya Bello because of his repeated absences from court and attempts to avoid facing criminal charges?
The former governor was proclaimed wanted by the EFCC, in relation to the ongoing legal procedures.
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