From Victor Osula, Abuja
Lead counsel to Yahaya Bello, Abdulwahab Mohammed, has signed an undertaking before Justice Emeka Nwite on Friday for the ex-Kogi State governor to submit himself to the Federal High Court in Abuja for arraignment on June 13.
This agreement was reached shortly after the request for suspension of his trial in the corruption charges filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was rejected by the court.
Mohammed, who said the former governor was not afraid of arraignment, told the court that the life of his client has been under consistent threats by the EFCC in Abuja, hence his decision to go underground for safety.
Justice Nwite, however, assured him that the EFCC, as a law-abiding body, would not do anything against the provisions of the law, adding that Bello was not the first former governor to be invited by the anti-graft agency.
While noting that the charges are based on allegations that have not been proved and the law even presumes an accused innocent until proven otherwise, Justice Nwite advised the senior lawyer to prevail on his client to respect the law and order of court as a law-abiding person.
In response to the admonition, Mohammed thanked the Judge, saying with the assurance that the EFCC would not do anything untoward, the former governor would be brought to court.
“All my client needs is just an assurance for the safety of his life, which has been under threat for some time in Abuja,” Bello’s counsel insisted as he requested four weeks to bring his client before the court.
He assured that Bello would rather come to the court than the EFCC to take his plea in the charges.
Based on the undertaking and no opposition from the EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), Justice Nwite fixed June 13 for Bello to appear in court for his plea to be taken.
The former Kogi governor have remained in hiding since April 17, after a failed attempt by the EFCC to arrest him at his residence in Abuja, over allegations of money laundering to the tune of about N80.2bn.
