Nothing To Fear, Former Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello Says As He Reports Self To EFCC ~ OsazuwaAkonedo #Kogi #Bello #EFCC #Yahaya https://osazuwaakonedo.news/nothing-to-fear-former-kogi-governor-yahaya-bello-says-as-he-reports-self-to-efcc/18/09/2024/ #Breaking News Published: September 18th, 2024 Reshared: September 18, 2024 10:10 pm Former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello on Wednesday reported himself
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello on Wednesday reported himself to the Headquarters
00:06of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Nigeria anti-corruption agency that
00:12has declared the former governor wanted over-alleged corrupt practices while he was in office as
00:17Kogi State Governor, an action that has made the suspect go into hiding for months.
00:23The fugitive decision of Yahaya Bello has sparked reactions among members of the public
00:28for months, with some, at certain intervals, do make mockery of the Anti-Corruption Commission
00:34of not being able to locate and arrest the fleeing Kogi State former governor who was
00:39said to be hiding inside the Kogi State Government House.
00:43A statement issued by the spokesperson of the former governor indicated that the former
00:49governor decided to go out of hiding based on advices from family and political associates
00:55on the ground that he has nothing to fear.
00:59Former Governor of Kogi State, His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello today honored the invitation
01:05of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
01:09This decision was made after due consultations with his family, legal team and political
01:14allies.
01:16The former governor, who has great respect for the role of law and constituted authority,
01:22had, all the while, only sought the enforcement of his fundamental rights in order to ensure
01:28due process.
01:30The case has been before a competent court of jurisdiction, and Alhaji Yahaya Bello had
01:35been newly represented by his legal team at every hearing.
01:40It is important for the former governor to now honor the invitation of the EFCC to clear
01:45his name as he has nothing to hide and nothing to fear.
01:49The former governor believes firmly in the efforts of the administration of President
01:53Bola Ametilebu to place Nigeria on the path of sustainable economic development and supports
01:59the fight against corruption in the country.
02:02It is on record that he was the first governor of Kogi State to put in place an anti-corruption
02:08mechanism to check grafts and ensure that the resources of the state work for the people
02:13of the state.
02:14He was accompanied to the EFCC headquarters by high-profile Nigerians.
02:20It is our hope that the commission will be as professional as necessary and respect his
02:25fundamental rights as a citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
02:30Details of his engagement with the operatives of the anti-graft agency will be disclosed
02:35later.
02:36Ohia Michael.
02:37Director, Yahaya Bello Media Office stated, We had earlier in July reported that the Federal
02:44High Court sitting in Abuja has sent the lawyers of the former Kogi State governor, Yahaya
02:49Bello to the Legal Practitioners' Disciplinary Committee, LPDC, for investigation following
02:54their actions in handling the case of N80.2 billion Naira's alleged fraud committed by
02:59the former governor.
03:00According to news statement from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the
03:08court asked the LPDC to investigate the lawyers who are senior advocates of Nigeria from his
03:13conduct for failing to produce Yahaya Bello in court.
03:18The news release reads, In court below does, Justice Emeka Uwait of the Federal High Court
03:23sitting in Abuja on Wednesday, July 17, 2024, torn down an application by a former governor
03:30of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello seeking a stay of proceedings and stalling of his arraignment
03:35in the alleged N80.2 billion Naira's money laundering charge instituted against him by
03:39the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
03:43Also, the court has asked the Legal Practitioners' Disciplinary Committee, LPDC, to investigate
03:50Bello's counsel, Abdulwahab Mohamed, S.A.N. and Adeola Adedepe, San, for professional
03:57misconduct for reneging on their undertakings to produce the former governor for arraignment.
04:03The court had on June 27, 2024, slated Wednesday for ruling on an application by the EFCC's
04:11lead counsel, Kemi Pinheru, S.A.N., praying the court to hold Mohamed and Adedepe for
04:18contempt of court at the resumed session of the court on Wednesday.
04:22Mohamed tried frantically to persuade the court to allow stay of proceedings arguing
04:27that appeals have been entered at the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division.
04:32Both prosecution and defense counsels held the court in fiery arguments over the ruling.
04:38Pinheru submitted that Bello's lawyers were only trying to arrest the ruling meant for
04:44Wednesday on their failed undertakings to produce their client for arraignment.
04:49He cited several authorities to establish the fact that since the matter brought before
04:53the appellate court had not been determined, the trial court should not hold proceedings
04:58on the matter before it.
05:01Ruling on the EFCC's application to hold Mohamed and Adedepe for contempt of the court
05:06in view of their failure to honor the undertakings they meant to produce the former governor
05:10for arraignment, Justice White asked the Legal Practitioners' Disciplinary Committee
05:15LPDC to investigate the two senior lawyers for professional misconduct.
05:20He stressed that Bello's lawyers failed to bring their client for arraignment against
05:25their assurances and undertakings before the court.
05:29Ordinarily, I would have taken this matter heedle, but I would prefer to refer the matter
05:35to the Legal Practitioners' Disciplinary Committee to propose necessary recommendation
05:40and necessary sanctions against the councils, he said.
05:44The judge also initially refused to grant the application of withdrawal of services
05:49to Bello by Adedepe.
05:51However, after passionate appeals by Pinheru, he granted it but directed Adedepe to make
05:57a formal application before the court to that effect.
06:01Meanwhile, Abdul Wahab said he would try to bring Bello to court on the next adjourned
06:06date, though without taking any undertaking to that effect.
06:11Pinheru informed the court that the prosecution on its part would make the necessary arrangement
06:16to bring the former governor to court as the EFCC was making efforts to liaise with other
06:21sister security agencies to extract the defendant from the Kogiste government house where he
06:27is hibernating.
06:29Justice Umayyad thereafter adjourned the matter till September 25, 2024 for arraignment.
06:36Bello is facing prosecution alongside his nephew, Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman and Abdulsalam
06:42Hudu on 19 count charges bordering on money laundering to the tune of 80,246,470,089
06:52nairas and 88 kobos kobo only.