See Why EFCC Unable To Arraign Yahaya Bello

See Why EFCC Unable To Arraign Yahaya Bello

Former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, was conspicuously absent from his scheduled arraignment before a Federal High Court in Abuja today, causing a halt to the proceedings…..READ ALSO EFCC: ‘Yahaya Bello Has Lost Immunity From Arrest, Can Be Prosecuted’ – Falana

The defendant’s legal counsel cited an ex parte order restraining the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from arresting and prosecuting Bello. This order, which EFCC has appealed against at the Court of Appeal, poses a legal obstacle to the commission’s attempts to bring Bello to court.

The EFCC had intended to arraign Bello alongside three other suspects – Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman, and Abdulsalam Hudu – on a 19-count charge related to money laundering amounting to N80,246,470,088.88 (Eighty Billion, Two Hundred and Forty-Six Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand, and Eighty-Nine Naira, Eighty-Eight Kobo).

The case, filed on March 6, 2024, by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Dr. Kemi Pinheiro, has been marked as FHC/ABJ/CR/98/2024. However, due to the legal complexities arising from the restraining order, the arraignment was postponed.

This development follows the EFCC’s attempt to arrest Bello at his Abuja residence on Wednesday, which resulted in a standoff. Despite securing a warrant of arrest, the EFCC faced legal opposition when another High Court in Lokoja restrained them from taking action against Bello without explicit authorization.

The absence of Yahaya Bello and the legal hurdles surrounding his arraignment underscore the intricacies of judicial proceedings and the challenges faced by anti-corruption agencies in prosecuting high-profile cases.

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