Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has reaffirmed that former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello must appear in court to address the alleged fraud charges brought against him by the EFCC, amounting to 80 billion naira.
The court, on April 23, directed the EFCC to serve Bello with the charges through his legal representative, emphasizing the requirement for his presence in court before any proceedings can commence. Justice Nwite cited Section 396(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, underscoring Bello’s obligation to attend court before filing any legal documents.
Highlighting Bello’s repeated failure to comply with court directives, the judge maintained that he would not entertain any applications from the defendant until his appearance in court. Despite Bello’s contention and his request for a stay on the proceedings pending the outcome of a related case at the Court of Appeal, the judge emphasized the necessity of his presence in court, even if contesting the validity of an arrest warrant.
Bello’s legal counsel, Abdulwahab Mohammed, informed the court about a pending motion at the appellate level concerning contempt proceedings filed by Bello against the EFCC, urging the Federal High Court to await the decision before proceeding further with the trial.
