Appeal Court Orders Ex-Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello to Appear for Arraignment
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has ordered former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, to appear before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Maitama, for arraignment before any further legal proceedings can occur in his case. The decision was delivered on Tuesday, August 20, 2024.
The ruling came as part of a unanimous judgment from the Appeal Court, led by Hon. Justice I.K. Amadi, in response to an appeal filed by J.S. Okutepa, SAN, on behalf of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The appeal challenged the earlier judgment of Justice Isah Abdullahi Jamil of the Kogi State High Court, which had shielded Bello from prosecution under the guise of enforcing his fundamental rights.
The Appeal Court Justices criticized Justice Jamil’s decision, labeling it as “scandalous” and aimed at protecting Yahaya Bello from criminal prosecution. They further referenced a previous ruling by Justice Oyewole in the case of EFCC vs Yahaya Bello, emphasizing that no court has the authority to prevent law enforcement from performing its statutory duties.
In their judgment, the Justices upheld the EFCC’s appeal, stating that it was “meritorious” and allowing the quashing of Justice Jamil’s ruling. Citing Section 396(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), the court ordered Yahaya Bello to present himself in court for his arraignment in relation to the charges brought against him.
Yahaya Bello, alongside his nephew Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman, and Abdulsalam Hudu, faces 19 counts of money laundering involving N80.2 billion. Despite repeated efforts by the EFCC, Bello has refused to enter a plea.
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