THE former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, has lost his bid to transfer his alleged N80.2 billion fraud case from Abuja to his state.
The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, John Tsoho, on Monday, July 8, dismissed Bello’s application seeking the transfer.
Tsoho concurred with the argument of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that the case should remain in Abuja.
Bello is being prosecuted on 19 counts for allegedly misappropriating public funds, breach of trust, and money laundering.
Even though he denies the accusations, he has not appeared in court since the case began.
His lawyers have applied to move the trial to Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.
The EFCC, on the other hand, objected to the proposal, claiming that both Kogi and Abuja would be appropriate places for the trial, given that some of the alleged offences were committed there.
In a letter signed by his Special Assistant, Joshua Ibrahim Aji, the Chief Judge agreed with the EFCC and stated that the law allows the charge to be filed in either Abuja or Lokoja
The court further submitted that it would be premature to transfer the case, given the ongoing appeal and because two comparable criminal charges were being handled in the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The ICIR reported on June 27 that Bello told a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to transfer his case with the EFCC to Kogi State.
At the resumed proceeding on Thursday, June 27, Bello, who failed again to appear before the court, sent the request through his legal team, led by Abdulwahab Mohammed, a senior advocate, as he entered his plea to the charge.
A lawyer who announced his appearance for Bello, Adeola Adedipe called the attention of the trial judge, Emeka Nwite, to the letter his client had sent to the Chief Judge.
He prayed the court to dismiss “the story of the defence lawyer as dilatory and a further attempt to treat this court with scorn.”
Responding, the EFCC lawyer, represented by Kemi Pinheiro, a senior advocate, urged the court to order the defence lawyer to explain the defendant’s non-appearance in court despite his assurance on June 13 to guarantee his presence in court for arraignment.
Pinheiro claimed that the commitment made by the senior lawyer was not fulfilled by the letter to the Chief Judge..
As a result, he requested that the court invite the two senior lawyers representing Bello to justify why they would not be charged with contempt of court.
The EFCC lawyers insisted that the court dock the defendant’s lawyer for failing to produce the former governor after five sittings and make him a scapegoat.
The EFCC accused the former governor of money laundering allegedly perpetrated in connivance with his nephew, Ali Bello, and two others, Dauda Suleiman and Abdulsalam Hudu.
Bello insisted that when the EFCC filed the allegation against him and requested the issuance of a bench warrant for his arrest, it was acting in violation of an existing ruling from a Kogi State High Court.
The ICIR reported that the Federal High Court Abuja refused to revoke the arrest warrant on Bello over the allegations against him.
A reporter with the ICIR
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