Embattled former Governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello has admitted that he is afraid he would be arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, hence, his absence at the Federal High Court in Abuja to answer to the 19-count charge preferred against him.
A counsel to Bello, Adeola Adedipe, SAN, who addressed the Court on the former Governor’s absence today, said “the defendant wants to come to court but he is afraid that there is an order of arrest hanging on his head,”
Adedipe then appealed to the court to set aside the exparte order of arrest it earlier issued against the former governor. The lawyer contended that as at the time the order of arrest was made, the charge had not been served on his client as required by the law.
He argued that it was only at the resumed proceedings on Tuesday that the court okayed substituted service of the charge on the defendant, through his lawyer.
However, EFCC’s lawyer, Mr. Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, urged the court to refuse the application, insisting that the warrant of arrest should not be set aside until the defendant makes himself available for his trial.
He described Bello’s counter suits as ” dilatory tactics intended to delay his arraignment and frustrate the proceedings. If he wants the order of arrest to be discharged, let him come here and make the application.
Our position is that the defendant should be denied the right of being heard, until he is physically present before this court.” Pinheiro said
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