Court fixes April 23 to rule on substituted service on Yahaya Bello

Discover the latest developments as the court prepares to rule on substituted service for Yahaya Bello on April 23rd.

An Abuja Federal High Court has scheduled April 23 for a decision regarding an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) request for an alternative method of serving the charges against former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.

Justice Emeka Nwite set the date after hearing arguments from EFCC counsel Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, and Bello’s lawyer Abdulwahab Mohammed, SAN, regarding the oral application.

Bello was absent during the court session where he was to be arraigned on a 19-count money laundering charge. However, his legal team, including Adeola Adedipe, SAN, was present.

Mohammed, representing Bello, contested the charge’s validity, citing the court’s lack of jurisdiction to hear the case and issue an arrest warrant against his client. He mentioned a previous ruling by a Kogi State High Court on February 9 that barred the EFCC from arresting or prosecuting Bello.

Mohammed argued that the arrest warrant was in conflict with the ongoing appeal at the Court of Appeal and urged the court to address the jurisdiction issue before proceeding with the case.

He also objected to receiving the charge on Bello’s behalf in open court, stating that he lacked the authority to do so without formal authorization.

On the other hand, Pinheiro disagreed, asserting that since Mohammed appeared for Bello, the charge could be served in court for the arraignment to proceed.

The court adjourned to May 23 to rule on the request for substituted service.

Earlier, Justice Nwite had issued an arrest warrant for Bello despite a prior ruling from a Kogi High Court restraining the EFCC from arresting or prosecuting him, directing that Bello be produced in court for arraignment.