Former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, on Thursday, June 27 failed to show up in court for the fifth consecutive time over an alleged N82bn embezzlement.
He instead asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to transfer the fraud case brought against him by the federal government to Kogi since the alleged crime happened in Kogi State.
He made the request through his lawyers to the Chief Judge of the Court, Justice John Tsoho.
During today’s proceedings, Bello’s counsel, Adeola Adedipe, SAN, informed Justice Emeka Nwite that his client had written to the Chief Judge requesting that the trial be moved to Lokoja.
Adedipe stated that the former governor preferred to be arraigned in Lokoja, as the court there has territorial jurisdiction.
Recall that on June 13, Yahaya Bello’s lawyer made a commitment to produce Bello in court for today’s arraignment.
The prosecution, led by Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), has asked that Bello’s lead counsel, Abdulwahab Mohammed, and Adeola Adedipe, both Senior Advocates, be tried for contempt for “misleading the court.”
