A Kogi State High Court judge, I. A Jamil, had on Wednesday, April 17, restrained the EFCC from arresting, detaining and prosecuting Bello over an N80.2 billion fraud allegation.
By Saidu Idris
365Daily – The hearing on the appeal filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the Court of Appeal, Abuja division, to set aside the Kogi State court order restraining it from arresting, detaining and prosecuting the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, failed to hold on Monday, April 22, 2024, following the absence of the judge.
A Kogi State High Court judge, I. A Jamil, had on Wednesday, April 17, restrained the EFCC from arresting, detaining and prosecuting Bello over an N80.2 billion fraud allegation.
In the appeal marked CA/ABJ/PRE/RDA/CV/165MI, EFCC contested the Kogi court order because it is a body created by statute to carry out functions specified in its Establishment Act and empowered to investigate and prosecute economic crimes as set out under sections 6 and 7 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act.
The EFCC subsequently obtained a warrant of arrest from the Justice Emeka Nwite Federal High Court in Abuja to arraign Bello on Thursday, April 18, on a 19-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering, breach of trust and misappropriation of funds to the tune of N80.2 billion.
However, Bello could not be arraigned on the scheduled date as the EFCC couldn’t arrest him because, according to the EFCC counsel, Kemi Pinehero, (SAN), he was whisked away by a person with immunity.