Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned the arraignment of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, till September 25.
Gatekeepers News reports that Bello is facing charges of money laundering brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Emeka Nwite rejected the defendant’s application for a stay of proceedings, ruling that the appeal filed by Bello’s legal team was merely a delaying tactic.
The judge emphasised that the court has the discretion to grant or refuse a stay of proceedings, and in this case, chose to continue with the trial.
Bello’s lead counsel, Mohammed AbdulWahab, had argued that the court should await the outcome of the appeal filed at the Court of Appeal, citing authorities to support his position.
However, the EFCC’s counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, opposed the application, stating that the filing of an appeal does not automatically stay proceedings in a criminal case.
The court also granted the withdrawal of one of Bello’s counsel, Adeola Adedipe, from the case and referred the matter of misconduct to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) for investigation.
In his ruling, Justice Nwite held that the proceedings could not be stayed, as it is a criminal case and not a civil case.
He adjourned the matter till September 25 for arraignment, rejecting the defendant’s bid to halt the trial.
