June 13, (THEWILL)- The Federal High Court, Abuja, has adjourned the arraignment of the former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, to June 27.
Justice Emeka Nwite fixed the date after counsel for the ex-governor, Adeola Adedipe, SAN, informed the court on Thursday, that the EFCC’s lead counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, earlier informed the defence team that today’s proceeding would not be convenient.
“They (EFCC) agreed that a junior counsel would be sent to court today to formally pick a date, and the registry can confirm this. Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, has been calling us to say today is not convenient,” he said.
The counsel noted that former governor Bello was ready to appear in court on Thursday but for the decision of the EFCC to seek an adjournment for a future date for his arraignment.
“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.
THEWILL reports that the whereabouts of the former Kogi governor have remained unknown since April 17 after a failed attempt by the EFCC to arrest him at his residence in Abuja over allegations of money laundering.
Bello is facing a 19-count charge of alleged money laundering to the tune of about N80.2bn.
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