Financial Crime : Yahaya Bello reveals why he’s afraid to appear in Court
The immediate past Governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello has revealed why he is afraid to appear before the Federal high court in Abuja regarding the 19-count indictment filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Bello said he is willing to confront the court but afraid of being arrested.
Adeola Adedipe (SAN), a member of Bello’s legal team stated this on Tuesday, April 23.
“The defendant wants to come to court but he is afraid that there is an order of arrest hanging on his head.”
Adedipe asked the court to revoke the exparte order of arrest it had previously imposed on the embattled former governor. Adedipe said the charge had not been served on Bello’s client as required by law at the time the warrant of arrest was made.
He said the court at the resumed proceedings okayed substituted service of the charge on the defendant, through his lawyer on Tuesday, April 23.
“As at the time the warrant was issued, the order for substituted service had not been made. That order was just made this morning.
“A warrant of arrest should not be hanging on his neck when we leave this court.”
Recall that EFCC declared Bello wanted over alleged financial crimes worth N80 billion.
In a Facebook post on Thursday, April 18, the anti-graft agency urged anyone who knows the whereabouts of the former governor to contact its office or the Police. This came 24 hours after the former governor allegedly evaded arrest through his successor at his residence in Abuja.
