A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has postponed the arraignment of the immediate-past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, and two co-defendants until November 14, following a request from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The trio faces a 16-count charge related to corruption and conspiracy.
At the proceedings on Thursday, EFCC’s lead counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, sought an adjournment, informing Justice Maryann Anenih that the 30-day public summons issued against Bello had not yet expired. The summons was issued at a previous hearing but was not fully executed as intended.
Oyedepo expressed his surprise that Bello had not yet appeared in court, although the time frame of the summons extends until November 14.
He urged the court to fix a new date for the arraignment, emphasising that all defendants must be present for the process to proceed.
However, Joseph Daudu, SAN, counsel for the second defendant, opposed the adjournment. He criticised the prosecution for delaying the case, arguing that his client was ready for arraignment and should not be held back due to the absence of the first defendant.
Daudu insisted that each defendant be treated independently and accused the EFCC of using Bello’s absence as a “human shield.”
He added, “If the prosecution is not prepared, the defendants who are present should be discharged.”
Mohammed Aliyu, SAN, representing the third defendant, supported Daudu’s position and requested that his client’s bail application be heard.
However, Oyedepo countered that the bail application could not be considered until the formal arraignment, as the charges included conspiracy, which required joint arraignment.
Oyedepo also informed the court of a pending fundamental rights application filed by the second defendant, complicating the case further. He maintained that the prosecution’s approach aligned with the law, arguing that the arraignment must involve all defendants.
In response, Daudu criticised the prosecution’s tactics, describing them as a violation of the principles of fair hearing. He also accused the EFCC of abusing the judicial process by seeking a remand order from a magistrate’s court while the case was before the High Court.
Justice Anenih, in her ruling, denied the oral bail request, stating that formal written applications should be filed. She then adjourned the case to November 14 and November 20, when the court is expected to receive the first defendant’s response to the summons and proceed with the arraignment.
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