Court To Rule On Yahaya Bello’s Application May 10

Justice Emeka Nwite of a Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, fixed May 10 for ruling on an application filed by former governor of Kogi, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, praying for an order to set aside the April 17 arrest warrant issued against him.

The court fixed the date after counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, and Adeola Adedipe, SAN, the ex-governor’s lawyer, adopted their processes and presented their arguments in the motion.

Justice Nwite had, April 17, issued an arrest warrant to EFCC for Bello’s arrest.

The order was made after lawyer to the anti-graft agency, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, moved the ex-parte application to the effect.

The EFCC had also, on April 18, made an application for a substituted service of its bundles of charge and proof of evidence against Bello after the ex-governor’s lead lawyer, Abdulwahab Mohammed, SAN, declined to receive the documents in the open court.

The judge then adjourned until today for ruling.

However, after the judge directed the EFCC to effect the service of the charge and proof of evidence on Mohammed, who announced an unconditional appearance for Bello in the last adjourned date, Adedipe therefore prayed the court to set aside the arrest warrant.

He argued that the arrest warrant order, having been made before the charge ought to be set aside suo motu (on its own accord, without any request by the parties involved).