The Court of Appeal in Abuja has directed former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, to present himself for arraignment. This ruling effectively overturns a previous decision by the Kogi State High Court, which had prevented the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from prosecuting Bello on charges related to a substantial money laundering case.
On Tuesday, the three-man panel of the Court of Appeal, led by Justice I. Amadi, delivered a unanimous verdict demanding that Yahaya Bello adhere to the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) and face arraignment.
The panel’s decision reverses an earlier ruling by Justice Isah Jamil of the Kogi State High Court, who had set Bello free despite the EFCC’s charges.
The appellate court’s ruling is seen as a decisive action against attempts to evade justice. Justice Amadi described the lower court’s decision as “scandalous,” stating that the judge had failed to properly address the charges against Bello, thereby shielding him from trial.
Yahaya Bello faces nine counts of money laundering involving over N80 billion, which the EFCC alleges he diverted from the Kogi State government’s treasury.
Since the charges were filed, Bello has avoided several scheduled court appearances, including those on April 18, 23, May 10, June 13, and 27.
Instead, he has challenged the EFCC’s authority and the court’s jurisdiction through multiple legal maneuvers.
The EFCC’s Chief J. Okutepa, SAN, who filed the appeal, argued that Bello’s attempts to evade arraignment through various applications were unjustified. The appeal claimed that Bello’s objections to the charges were merely tactics to delay justice.
The Court of Appeal’s decision addressed several key points raised during the proceedings. It was noted that the lower court’s action to prevent the EFCC from proceeding with the case was inappropriate.
The appeal court held that the trial judge’s actions were an attempt to protect Bello from facing his charges.
In its judgment, the court emphasised that no court had the authority to prevent law enforcement agencies from performing their statutory duties.
The appellate court reiterated that under Section 396(2) of the ACJA, challenges to the validity of charges should not be entertained until after arraignment.
Bello served as the Governor of Kogi State from January 27, 2016, to January 27, 2024.
During his tenure, there were numerous allegations of financial misconduct, leading to the EFCC’s investigation into his administration’s handling of state funds. The current charges are part of a broader scrutiny of financial activities during his time in office.
