Corruption case: Today not convenient for Yahaya Bello’s appearance, counsels tell court

The Federal High Court, in Abuja, on Thursday, adjourned arraignment of the former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, on an alleged money laundering case instituted against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to June 27, following an agreement by the counsels of the two parties.

There was however, a mild drama when EFCC made to abandon its earlier request for a change in the date of arraignment of Yahaya Bello from June 13 to June 27, without informing the defendants’ counsels.

A new date, June 27, had earlier been reportedly fixed for arraignment at the instance of the EFCC counsels.

At the resumed hearing on Thursday, *Counsel to Governor Bello, Adeola Adedipe, SAN, told the court that the EFCC lead counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, approached the defendants’ lawyers that today would not be convenient and that a new day be agreed upon.*

Adedipe SAN, who was in court for another matter, was surprised when he heard that Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, was in court for the Yahaya Bello/EFCC case.

“They (EFCC) agreed that junior counsels would be sent to court today to formally pick a date. And the registry can confirm this,” Adedipe said.

“EFCC lead counsel, Kemi Pinhero, SAN, has been calling us to say today is not convenient,” he added.

But for the decision of the EFCC to seek an adjournment to a future date for his arraignment, Governor Yahaya Bello, was said to be ready to appear in court today.

“Under 266 ACJA there are instances when defendants don’t need to come and this is one of them. We came here to pick a date. Of what use will the defendant coming here be? It is the prosecuting counsel that approached us, we did not approach them. We have nothing to hide,” Adedipe noted.

In a show of lack of coordination among the EFCC lawyers, Rotimi Oyedepo, who is not the lead counsel of the anti-graft agency, said he was not aware of any meeting that happened outside the court, that he did not know about the understanding to adjourn till 27th.

Justice Nwite thereafter adjourned the case to June 27 after an undertaking that the defendant would appear on that day.