Why my case with EFCC should be transferred to Kogi – Yahaya Bello tells court | Read Details
The immediate past governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello has applied to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Justice John Tsoho, to transfer his trial to Lokoja, the capital of Kogi State.
Bello through his team of lawyers led by Mr. Abdulwahab Mohammed, SAN, maintained that only Lokoja Division of the high court has the territorial jurisdiction to entertain the 19 count charges that were raised against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The request was revealed by a lawyer that announced appearance for Bello, Mr. Adeola Adedipe, SAN, during Thursday’s sitting before Justice Emeka Nwite.
In his words;
“My lord, after the proceedings of the last adjourned date, I went back and gave a report of what happened in court to our team.
“However, I was made to understand that a letter had been written on behalf of the defendant to the honourable Chief Judge of the Federal High Court requesting in substance, that this matter be administratively transferred to the Federal High Court, Lokoja Judicial Division, which we believe have territorial jurisdiction to handle this matter.
That letter was received at the Chief Judge’s Chambers and the office of the of honourable CJ wrote the prosecution team through Mr. Iseoluwa Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, on June 13, notifying him that administrative steps has been activated, whereof he was directed to provide a response to the request for transfer of the matter.
My lord, as of this morning, I am not aware whether there has been a response by the prosecution team in compliance to the directive of the CJ.
We are also not in receipt of any decision that has been made on this request by the CJ
I am also aware that this administrative directive of the CJ has been formally communicated to this court.
We have filed an affidavit wherein we attached two documents referencing the details that I have just highlighted.
“My duty is first to the court. As of the moment, I am not urging anything from the court, but just to present the facts as they were.”
On his part, the EFCC, through its counsel, Mr. Kemi Pinhero, SAN, urged the court to compel the defence lawyer to explain why the defendant was not in court, despite an undertaking he made on June 13 to ensure his presence in court for arraignment.
He prayed the court to dismiss “the story of the defence lawyer as dilatory and a further attempt to treat this court with acorn”
The prosecution counsel demanded that Bello’s lead counsel, Abdulwahab Mohammed, and Adeola Adedipe, be tried for contempt of court.
This is the fifth time Yahaya Bello is failing to appear in court for arraignment.
