Yahaya Bello Requests Trial in Kogi, Misses Court Appearance

Alhaji Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, has sent a letter to Justice John Tsoho, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, requesting that his trial be held in Kogi State.

Bello, facing 19 counts of charges by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), did not appear for his scheduled court hearing on Thursday.

Bello’s legal team, led by Mr. Abdulwahab Mohammed, SAN, asserts that the Federal High Court’s Lokoja Division is the only court with the territorial jurisdiction to hear the case. The legal team highlighted this in their letter to the Chief Judge. Mr. Adeola Adedipe, SAN, representing Bello in court, informed Justice Emeka Nwite of the letter sent to the Chief Judge.

“My lord, after the proceedings of the last adjourned date, I went back and gave a report of what happened in court to our team,” Adedipe said. “Nevertheless, I was informed that the defendant had sent a letter to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, requesting, among other things, that this case be administratively moved to the Federal High Court’s Lokoja Judicial Division, as we believe it has the necessary territorial jurisdiction.”

Adedipe further explained that the Chief Judge’s office had initiated administrative procedures and had directed the prosecution team to respond to the request for transfer. However, there had been no response from the prosecution team nor a decision from the Chief Judge as of the morning of the court hearing.

In response, the EFCC’s representative, Mr. Kemi Pinhero, SAN, urged the court to demand an explanation for Bello’s absence, citing the defense’s previous commitment to ensure Bello’s presence. Pinhero accused the defense of attempting to delay proceedings and treat the court with contempt. He requested the court to consider contempt charges against Bello’s senior attorneys for failing to fulfill their undertaking.

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Bello, who governed Kogi State for eight years, is accused of money laundering, breach of trust, and embezzling N80.2 billion in public funds. The charges involve his nephew Ali Bello and two other individuals, Dauda Suleiman and Abdulsalam Hudu. Despite previous absences, Bello’s attorneys filed motions to vacate an arrest warrant issued on April 17 and challenge the court’s jurisdiction.

Bello maintains that the EFCC’s actions violated a ruling from a Kogi State High Court. The Federal High Court had previously granted him the option to voluntarily appear for arraignment but declined to revoke the arrest warrant.

The court proceedings continue as both sides await the Chief Judge’s decision on the request to move the trial to Lokoja.