The Court of Appeal in Abuja has mandated that former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello present himself for arraignment. This decision follows a protracted legal battle involving Bello and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) concerning his failure to appear in court.
Previously, the EFCC had issued an arrest warrant for Bello after he repeatedly disregarded court orders to appear. In response, Bello’s legal team, led by Abdulwahab Mohammed, SAN, argued that the case should be tried in Kogi State, asserting that only the Lokoja Division of the High Court has jurisdiction over the charges stemming from his time as governor.
On Tuesday, Justice Ken Amadi delivered a unanimous judgment, instructing Bello to cease any further actions related to the case until he complies with the court’s order for arraignment. The appellate court also supported the EFCC’s appeal against the lower court’s decision, which had previously ruled in favor of Bello’s fundamental rights.
The Court of Appeal found the lower court’s decision to be flawed, describing it as scandalous and improperly shielding Bello from criminal prosecution. The appellate court emphasized that no court has the authority to prevent law enforcement from carrying out its duties. As a result, the EFCC’s appeal was deemed valid, and the court’s decision was upheld.
Furthermore, the Court of Appeal cited Section 396(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), directing Bello to attend his arraignment in the case of FRN vs. Ali Bello & Anor before taking any other actions related to the matter.
