Is all looking good with court-charmer Yahaya Bello locked in EFCC’s grip to answer for alleged ₦110billion fraud?
Having finally arraigned the 49-year-old Bello in court, today the EFCC would regard itself as achieving quite the feat. It hadn't been long on 4 October when the agency declared him wanted for failing to show up at a previous arraignment date where laundering up to ₦80.2billion was the allegation.
The way the former Governor of Kogi State Yahaya Bello, today, controlled a crowd of supporters seen to be conjuring up disorderliness at a Federal High Court (FCT) High Court that Justice Maryann Anenih was presiding over felt like what only a human whisperer could do yet he was able to pull it off in an instant.
A ₦110billion fraud arraignment at the court on Wednesday 27 November 2024 concerned him and two others and going into it didn’t initially offer optimism that quiet proceedings would be on the table but it was good to hope.
The presiding Justice Anenih while the court was already seated was made uncomfortable by the noise coming off the pews and so she vacated her seat.
It was due to the irritation and disregard for a judicial office which sometimes have immediate consequences. Sometimes court nuisance is punished with an arrest, but it wasn’t to be during this high-profile case or arraignment.
Having finally arraigned the 49-year-old Bello in court, the EFCC would regard itself as achieving quite the feat. It hadn’t been long on 4 October when the agency declared him wanted for failing to show up at a previous arraignment date where laundering up to ₦80.2billion was the allegation.
Court nuisance wasn’t going to stop getting the former governor’s official stand on his alleged crimes, and today the EFCC sort of got something tangible. As soon as the judge breezed away from her seat over the rowdiness, Yahaya Bello led an appeal to the supporters who caused it and they obeyed him.
The emotional crowd left the courtroom in an orderly manner as if they hadn’t started a commotion initially. The pull or connection lies in the idea that their man is being witch-hunted.
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Being witch-hunted is one of the claims from the former governor’s camp although there hadn’t been any court appearance until today because Mr Bello didn’t show up when he was invited.
The former governor Bello is the first defendant in the ₦110billion fraud arraignment today and he denied the charges levelled against him before Justice Maryann Anenih. Two other defendants joined in the suit are Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalam Hudu.
When all the parties had entered their respective pleas, it was time to request bail. Counsel, Joseph Daudu, had initiated this but the move was countered by the EFCC’s representation based on three principles covering competence and the legality of asking to be bailed.
The federal high court, led by Justice Anenih eventually reached a conclusion regarding the request from the defendant’s side. Having failed to convince the court about why bail for Yahaya Bello and his co-defendants should be immediately granted, it then means that they are held in the EFCC’s custody until the next 14 days.
An adjournment of the hearing to Tuesday 10 December is meant to give all sides including the presider Justice Maryann Anenih ample time to decide on an outcome that best fits what seems a blockbuster litigation matter feeding off the spotlight and never losing flame.
