The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday deferred the arraignment of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, on a 19-count charge of alleged N80.2 billion fraud due to the absence of his legal team.
Bello, who was present in court, informed Justice Emeka Nwite that he only learned of the proceedings late Thursday night, suggesting his lawyers were unaware of the change from the original January 21, 2025, date. The court acknowledged the lack of notification to Bello’s counsel and ruled that proceeding without them would violate the principle of fair hearing.
EFCC’s lead counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, argued for the arraignment to proceed, citing provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, but Justice Nwite declined, emphasizing that the defendant’s right to legal representation must be upheld. The judge directed the prosecution to notify Bello’s lawyers about the new hearing date, rescheduling the proceedings for December 13.
The case, which accuses Bello and three others of money laundering, breach of trust, and misappropriation of public funds, has been marred by delays. The court had previously issued a bench warrant for Bello’s arrest after his repeated absences, culminating in his surrender to the EFCC earlier this week.
Bello remains in EFCC custody until the next hearing.
