By Abiola Olawale
The arraignment of the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello on alleged N82 billion fraud charges has continued to stall as his legal representatives engaged in a heated verbal exchange with the legal representatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) inside a courtroom of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The New Diplomat reports that trouble started when Abdulwahab Mohammed announced himself as the Lead counsel for Bello instead of Adeola Adedipe, SAN.
While Mohammed was still addressing the court, the legal counsel of the EFCC Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, opposed him.
Pinheiro argued that Adedipe should be included in the proceedings until discharged by the court.
It would be recalled that Adedipe had filed a petition to withdraw from the ongoing case against Bello.
Following the arguments that erupted, Adedipe interrupted Pinheiro, insisting that he was not prepared to be part of the proceedings.
While the heated arguments were ongoing, the presiding judge, Justice Emeka Nwite overruled both parties and moved on to deliver his judgment on Adedipe’s plea.
While the judge was about to deliver a ruling on the contentious appearance matter, Bello’s lawyer stood up and requested to be allowed to stay outside the proceedings if the court proceeded with the ruling.
Fuming with anger, Mohammed openly described Pinheiro as a rough lawyer who takes delight in misleading the court.
His attempt to make further abusive remarks about the federal government lawyer was aborted, but Mohammed refused to apologise, insisting that he would leave the court should the judge go ahead with the ruling.
When tempers rose beyond control, Justice Nwite abruptly brought the proceedings to an end by walking straight into his chamber.
The New Diplomat reports that attempts by the EFCC to arraign Bello on an alleged N80.2bn fraud case have been unfruitful as the former governor has refused to appear before the court.
It would be recalled also that the EFCC had declared Bello wanted in connection to an alleged case of money laundering to the tune of N80.2bn. The EFCC declared Bello wanted after failed attempts to arrest him in Abuja.
The anti-graft agency had also accused Bello, Ali Bello, Dauda Suliman, and Abdulsalam Hudu (still at large) of conspiring in February 2016 to convert N80,246,470,088.88, which was allegedly obtained through a criminal breach of trust, violating Section 18(a) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended.
