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80bn Fraud: Court Orders EFCC To Serve Yahaya Bello Charges Through His Lawyer

80bn Fraud: Court Orders EFCC To Serve Yahaya Bello Charges Through His Lawyer
  • PublishedApril 23, 2024

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered that the charges on alleged N80 billion fraud filed by the Federal Government against former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Adoza Bello, be served through his lawyer, Abdulwahab Mohammed.

Justice Emeka Nwite gave the order on Tuesday while delivering a ruling in an application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for substituted service on Bello.

EFCC lead counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, argued the application.

An attempt by Bello’s lawyer, Abdulwahab Mohammed, to decline to accept the charges and proof of evidence was brushed aside by Justice Nwite.

The Judge rejected the plea by the senior lawyer that a junior lawyer in his team, A.I. Musa, be the one to accept the charges on behalf of the former governor.

Yahaya Bello was again not in court at Tuesday’s proceedings but was represented by his lawyer.

A bench warrant was issued by Justice Nwite last week against Bello following an application to that effect by EFCC.

The EFCC subsequently declared the former governor wanted for his persistent absence in court and for evading the criminal charges against him.

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