Former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello has finally agreed to appear in court for arraignment on June 13, following a lengthy legal battle. Bello’s lead counsel, Abdulwahab Mohammed, made the commitment to Justice Emeka Nwite on Friday, after the court rejected a request to suspend the trial.
According to Mohammed, Bello was not afraid of the arraignment but had concerns for his safety, citing several threats to his life in Abuja. The senior lawyer claimed that his client had gone underground for safety reasons. However, Justice Nwite assured that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) would not act outside the law, and that Bello was not the first former governor to be invited by the anti-graft agency.
Justice Nwite stated that the charges against Bello were based on unproven allegations and that the law presumes innocence until proven otherwise. He advised Mohammed to encourage his client to respect the law and court orders.
In response, Mohammed thanked the Judge for the assurance and promised that Bello would be brought to court, stating, “All my client needs is just an assurance for the safety of his life, which has been under threat for some time in Abuja.” The lawyer requested four weeks to bring Bello before the court, which was granted by Justice Nwite, fixing June 13 for Bello’s appearance.
With this agreement, Bello will finally face the corruption charges against him, and the legal process will move forward. As Justice Nwite assured “The law will take its course, and EFCC will not do anything against the provisions of the law.”
