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Tinubu’s first year in office: A mixed bag of progress, unfulfilled promises – UK Afenifere
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UBA Foundation announces 2024 national essay competition, increases grant prize by 100%
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‘Admits first students by September’, Minister directs newly appointed management of FUMMSA
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We need peaceful environment to progress in Nigeria – UK Afenifere tells Nigerians
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Lagos Commissioner commends LASU CESAR at Omniverse Africa 2.0
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UNILAG VC wins 2024 Leadership Tribute Colloquium award
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NELFUND MD celebrates President Tinubu at 73
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Rivers State: Peter Obi caution Labour Party lawmakers against supporting injustice
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Two NGOs partners to provide free medical outreach in Osun State
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WAEC releases CB-WASSCE results for private candidates 2025-first series
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One Year of Operation: NELFUND hits over 500,000 student loan applications
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FG adopts TASUED as federal university
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Sydney Talker urges new content creators to step up, claims content creation industry is dying
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‘We feel at home at LASU’, says Leader of Delegation, Women’s University in Africa
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Federal Ministry of Education restates commitment to revamp sports in tertiary institutions
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Cisco, Interswitch donates enterprise-grade devices to UNILAG
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Kessington Adebutu donates School of Pharmacy to Babcock University
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Alleged fraud: Yahaya Bello’s N80.2bn trial to remain in Abuja – Chief Judge
By Emmanuel Saviour The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, has declined former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello’s request to transfer his alleged N80.2 billion fraud trial from Abuja to Kogi State. The decision, outlined in a letter dated July 2 and signed by the Chief Judge’s Special Assistant, Joshua Aji,…
By Emmanuel Saviour
The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, has declined former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello’s request to transfer his alleged N80.2 billion fraud trial from Abuja to Kogi State.
The decision, outlined in a letter dated July 2 and signed by the Chief Judge’s Special Assistant, Joshua Aji, aligns with the position of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which insisted that the trial should remain in Abuja.
The EFCC had argued that the case involves the alleged conversion and transfer of Kogi State funds to Abuja for the purchase of property. Aji’s letter stated, “His Lordship, the Honourable Chief Judge, has considered your arguments and the response from Dr. Kemi Pinheiro, SAN. The main complaint involves the alleged conversion and transfer of funds from Kogi State to Abuja to purchase property. The law permits filing the charge in either Abuja or Lokoja, Kogi State.”
Yahaya Bello’s lawyer, Adeola Adedipe (SAN), had filed the transfer application on June 10, contending that the Lokoja judicial division had territorial jurisdiction over the case. Adedipe explained, “After the June 13 proceedings, we informed Bello of the court events. He decided to seek the transfer of the case, as a letter had been written on his behalf to the Chief Judge requesting the transfer.”
The EFCC’s prosecuting counsel, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), expressed displeasure over Bello’s repeated absence from court, stating, “Since no reason has been offered for Bello’s absence, Your Lordship should treat this as professional misconduct and contempt of court.” Pinheiro urged the court to consider disciplinary action against Bello’s legal team.
The Chief Judge referenced previous cases related to the alleged fraud scheme, emphasizing the importance of jurisdiction. “Two criminal charges in the same scheme of alleged fraud were earlier filed and are being tried in the Federal High Court, Abuja. Applications to transfer these cases to Lokoja were refused,” the letter stated. The Chief Judge underscored that jurisdictional issues should be decided in open court.
Justice Emeka Nwite, presiding over the trial, has scheduled a ruling for July 17. The ongoing legal battle highlights the complexities and jurisdictional challenges in high-profile fraud cases like that of Yahaya Bello.
The EFCC remains firm in its stance on holding individuals accountable, regardless of their status. Pinheiro remarked, “If a Chief Justice of Nigeria can be put in the dock before an inferior tribunal, who then is a SAN or a former governor in terms of status?” This underscores the EFCC’s commitment to pursuing justice in cases of significant financial misconduct.
The decision to keep Yahaya Bello’s trial in Abuja reflects the judiciary’s approach to handling complex fraud cases. With the next court date set for July 17, the legal proceedings will continue to unfold, drawing significant public and media attention. The trial’s outcome could have implications for the accountability of public officials in Nigeria.
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