After weeks of hide-and-seek game, Yahaya Bello, former governor of Kogi has confirmed that he will appear in court next week in the hearing of the N80.2bn fraud charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
A member of the former governor’s legal team who confirmed the development to TheScrutinyNG on Thursday said Bello has given the assurance that he will be at the Federal High Court, Abuja on June 13,the new date fixed for the trial.
Bello, popularly called ‘The White Lion’ by his loyalists has been in hiding since April 17 when officials of the EFCC barricaded his house to arrest him. The anti-graft agency said the current Kogi governor, Usman Ododo smuggled Bello out of the building in his official car.
It later issued a public notice declaring Bello wanted.
On April 23, the court ordered the EFCC to serve Bello with the money laundering charges against him through his lawyer.
When the matter came up on May 10, Justice Emeka Nwite ruled that the application filed by the EFCC, that no application be heard without the defendant being in court, was meritorious. He therefore ordered Yahaya Bello to appear in court on the day of the next trial.
Responding, Abdulwahab Mohammed, lead counsel for Yahaya Bello, asked the court to give him four weeks to search for his client, saying his whereabouts remain unknown.
When asked by our correspondent if Bello will appear in court next week, one of the lawyers handling the case replied in the affirmative.
“He has agreed to show up. We have convinced him to do so” he said.
On Bello’s fears that the EFCC may arrest him court if he attends the trial, the lawyer said he strongly believes that the anti-graft agency will show respect for the rule of law and will not do so.
“The reason why the EFCC invaded his residence was because they wanted to charge him to court. If he appears as he has promised to do, there won’t be any need for anyone to arrest him at the premises of the court. It is court that will decide whether he is guilty or not” he said.
