Following former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello’s failure to appear in court for his arraignment on Tuesday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has served his lawyer, Abdulwahab Mohamed, with a copy of the N84 billion fraud charge sheet.
This action was ordered by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja, who cited Section 384 (4 and 5) of the Administrative and Criminal Justice Act 2015, allowing for substituted service when personal service is not feasible.
Despite objections, the judge compelled Bello’s lawyer to accept the charges and proof of evidence. Bello’s legal team expressed readiness for him to face the 19-count charge but raised concerns about fair hearing and justice.
They also requested the court to set aside the earlier ex-parte order of arrest, stating that Bello had not been served the charge at the time of the order.
