Fraud case: Court orders EFCC to serve Bello through counsel

• Ex-gov, Kogi Assembly urge agency to obey court order

Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered that the charges on alleged N80.2 billion fraud filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, be served through his lawyer, Abdulwahab Mohammed.

This was as Bello and the House of Assembly, separately, urged the anti-graft agency to obey court order, which restrained it from arresting the former governor.

Nwite issued the order, yesterday while delivering a ruling in an application filed by EFCC for substituted service on Bello.

Lead counsel to the anti-graft agency, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), had argued the application. Although Bello’s lawyer initially rejected the charges and proof of evidence, he was compelled to do so by the judge.

The judge declined the plea by the senior lawyer that a junior lawyer in his team, AI Musa, be the one to accept the charges on behalf of the former governor, who was again not in court.

Justice Nwite had, last week, issued a bench warrant against Bello following an application to that effect by EFCC, which subsequently declared the former governor wanted for his persistent absence in court and evading the criminal charges on him.

Bello’s Media Office has accused EFCC of engaging in a campaign of intimidation and harassment.

In a statement, yesterday, signed by Michael Ohiare, the media office claimed that the former governor was not afraid of the anti-graft agency, but that the rule of law should be respected.

The statement reads: “The EFCC claims to have invited Bello immediately after his tenure ended on January 27, 2024. We challenge the EFCC to produce a copy of this invitation, including the delivery date and the recipient’s name/endorsement. We are confident they cannot provide this simple evidence.”

According to the statement, the High Court granted an order restraining EFCC from inviting, arresting or prosecuting Bello, pending the determination of the originating motion.

Kogi House of Assembly, during plenary, yesterday, also called on EFCC to obey the rule of law and work within the ambit of the law establishing it.
The lawmakers also resolved that the ‘wanted’ tag on Bello be immediately removed.

The resolution of the house reads: “The EFCC, Inspector-general of Police (IGP), National Security Adviser (NSA) Immigration and other agencies conscripted into this melodrama be informed to act accordingly.

“The house condemns a statement by legal practitioners suggesting a request that the military be involved in the case that does not constitute a threat to internal security or treasonable felony.”

The Speaker, Aliyu Yusuf, admonished the anti-graft agency not to act contrary to the country’s law.