Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has declined the plea made by former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, to vacate the arrest warrant issued against him by the court.
The judge emphasized that Bello’s refusal to appear for arraignment in a criminal charge constituted contempt of court, thus disqualifying him from any leniency or special treatment.
In his ruling delivered on Friday, the court asserted that Bello’s persistent evasion of arraignment demonstrated a lack of respect for the legal process, stating that he cannot dictate terms to the court from the comfort of his own space.
Additionally, the court dismissed Bello’s argument challenging the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court to hear the criminal charges against him. Justice Nwite maintained that Bello must first present himself for arraignment and have his plea recorded before pursuing any legal motions.
Bello had contended that the arrest warrant was unnecessary, citing his legal representative’s acceptance of the criminal charges on his behalf. However, the court found this argument lacking in merit.
The case revolves around allegations of an N80 billion money laundering scheme brought against Bello by the Federal Government.
More to follow……