Lead prosecution counsel in the trial of former governor of Kogi State Yahaya Adoza Bello, Kemi Pinheiro SAN, has told Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja that the recent appearance of Bello at the parking lots of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, was out of place as both the trial court and Court of Appeal clearly ordered him to present himself for arraignment in the N80.2billion money laundering charges preferred against him by the EFCC.
EFCC revealed on its X handle that Mr. Yahaya Bello had made several unsuccessful attempts to stop his ongoing trial through some irresponsible efforts and the appropriate place of surrender would be before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, before whom his legal team had undertaken to produce him to answer to the 18-count charges of money laundering preferred against him by the EFCC.
Pinheiro said , “There is nowhere my Lordship or the Court of Appeal ordered that Yahaya Bello present himself at the EFCC car park, but rather to appear before my Lordship for arraignment. What is even more worrisome and disconcerting is that the defendant went to the EFCC car park holding the hands of a person with immunity who came with all the full security of his office”
“The implication, my Lord, is if there was an attempt to get him from the person of immunity, there would be an invitation to anarchy.
“The invitation by the EFCC later in the day for Yahaya Bello to come alone, not with a person with immunity, security persons and other people was resisted again on their own admission”.
Pinheiro further said, “My Lord, we wrote a letter to the defendant’s lawyers drawing our colleagues’ attention that arraignment is not conducted in EFCC’s car park, but the defendant should be in court today according to the judgment of the Court of Appeal and this honourable court’s ruling”.
He urged the judge to demonstrate his might and exercise his power to show Bello’s counsel A.M Agboyi that the court is not a vaudeville for entertainment but for serious business.
“This court is not a vaudeville, a vaudeville is a place of diverse entertainment. I want to borrow the words of Justice Uwaifo that no party should make a court a place of entertainment. The court must resist it. It is a place of serious and solemn business”, he said.
He specifically sought the order of the court for Agboyi to be sanctioned and referred to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, LPDC, for turning the court to a vaudeville.
“My Lord, it is against this backdrop that I will make this assertion that my learned friend wants to turn this place to an entertainment place or a casino. I want the court to use its power against him because his senior advocates have left and they pushed him so that it will serve as a lesson to others,” he said.
He also sought leave of the court to proceed to the trial of Bello in absentia.
However Abdul Mohammed SAN, counsel to Adeola Adedipe SAN, craved the indulgence of the court to exercise its discretion not to charge Adedipe for contempt.
“Our application is filed on the 18th of July 2024, it is supported by an 11-paragraph affidavit deposed to by the applicant Mr. Adeola Adedipe. That affidavit has an exhibit marked A, and in compliance with my Lord is a written address”
“We are urging my Lord to exercise his discretion, we are on bended knees begging you to exercise your discretion and grant the prayers that are contained in the affidavit”, he said.
After listening to the counsels, Justice Nwite stressed that “the matter is slated for arraignment, and it seems it has gone back to square one. It’s been over five months now and I don’t know how the case is going. With the submission made by counsels this morning, it’s quite unfortunate, but I have to reserve my comments, I have to reserve judgement on the submission of these counsels”.
He thereafter adjourned the matter till October 30, 2024, for arraignment and ruling.
EFCC explained that the incident of Wednesday, September 18, 2024, regarding the orchestrated antics of the former governor to surrender himself to the EFCC, having denied being invited by the Commission and operating underground as a fugitive for several months, expectedly raised concerns and curiosity of many Nigerians who had been waiting frantically for his arrest and trial.
The Commission disclosed that within the year, it has arraigned three former ministers, two ex-governors, several top government officials, captains of industries, internet fraudsters and many more would be arraigned in due course.
” Every former governor, minister, head of ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs being investigated by the Commission would soon be charged to court. The EFCC is not running a circus show. Corruption issues should not be turned into a theatre of the absurd. Those who harbor a criminal suspect should know that the act is also a criminal offence which is also punishable in law”
“While the EFCC is assuring the public of its unfaltering focus and commitment to continue to tackle every issue of economic and financial crime without fear or favour, there is need to remind Nigerians that corruption does fight back and caution and restraint should always be exercised in responding to the operational mechanics and dynamics of the Commission. The EFCC would continue with its no sacred cow policy, no matter whose ox is gored”
