A federal high court in Abuja has postponed the arraignment of former Kogi governor Yahaya Bello to June 27 due to the absence of EFCC lead counsel Kemi Pinheiro. Bello faces 19 charges, including money laundering and misappropriation of N80.2 billion in public funds.
A Federal High Court in Abuja has rescheduled the arraignment of former Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello to June 27, following the absence of the lead prosecutor from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The prosecution and defense had initially agreed to have junior lawyers present to set a new arraignment date, as the EFCC's lead counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, was unavailable. However, when the matter was called, another EFCC lawyer appeared ready to proceed, contradicting the prior agreement.
Bello's lawyer, Adeola Adedipe, informed the court of the understanding reached with Pinheiro for a postponement. After hearing arguments, the presiding judge, Emeka Nwite, accepted the defense's position and adjourned the arraignment to June 27.
Bello faces 19 counts of money laundering, breach of trust, and misappropriation of N80.2 billion in public funds during his tenure as governor. The EFCC had previously obtained an arrest warrant against him in April, which Bello unsuccessfully challenged.
The case has attracted significant attention, and the adjournment highlights the complexities surrounding the legal proceedings against the former governor.
