By Deborah Hassan
365Daily – A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court has summoned the immediate-past Governor of Kogi, Yahaya Bello to appear before it on November 14, 2024.
The presiding judge, Justice Maryanne Anenih, had on October 3 issued a public summons on Bello to attend court and answer to a fresh 16-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust brought against him, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
According to the EFCC, the trio diverted about N110.4billion from Kogi State Government.
Counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), while making statements at the hearing, recalled that the court had issued a public summons against Bello in its last sitting. He added that the court also directed that the summons be published in a widely circulating newspapers and copies of the public summons be pasted on Bello’s last known address and in conspicuous places in the premises of the court.
Therefore, he continued, he had expected Bello to be in court for the Thursday hearing. He then out forward an oral application for an adjournment till November 14 for the arraignment of the three defendants. The 30-day duration of the summons would expire on November 14.
However, the lawyer representing Oricha, Joseph Daudu (SAN), objected to Oyedepo’s application, arguing that the case was scheduled for arraignment.
While noting that the defendants were all independent and should be so treated as such, he declared that his client was ready to proceed with his trial.
“You cannot be using somebody as a human shield when they are not in hostage. I don’t like this practice,” he stated.
Daudu urged the court to discharge the other two defendants who were in court if the prosecution was not ready to proceed with the case.
The application was supported by the lawyer to Hudu, Mohammed Aliyu (SAN), who added that in the alternative, the court should hear his client’s application for bail.
Responding, Oyedepo said the court could not hear the application for bail because the charge was a joint charge.
He noted that there are counts of conspiracy in the charge and urged the court to adjourn till November 14