The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has requested a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting at Maitama, Abuja to deny bail to the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.
The anti-graft agency, through its team of lawyers led by Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, told the court that Bello, who is facing another corruption charge before the High Court, repeatedly refused to make himself available for trial.
It told the court that several efforts to secure his presence before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, where he is facing another charge, proved abortive.
Consequently, the Commission opposed a bail application that Bello filed through his legal team that was led by a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Joseph Daudu, SAN.
Daudu, SAN, had after the former governor and his two co-defendants—Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu—pleaded not guilty to 16 counts the anti-graft agency preferred against them, drew the attention of the court to a bail application his client filed on November 22.
In the application he predicated on six grounds, the former governor argued that he enjoys the presumption of innocence under the law.
Also, Bello insisted that he ought to be seen to be innocent of all the allegations the EFCC levelled against him until his guilt is established.
The former governor contended that granting him bail would enable him to effectively prepare his defence to the charge.
His lawyer told the court that his client was only served with a copy of the charge against him around 11 p.m. on Tuesday, November 26.
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He said the former governor’s presence in court was in obedience to the summons that was issued to him.
Furthermore, Bello’s lawyer urged the court not to be swayed by EFCC’s claims with regards to a matter not related to the instant charge before it.
The prosecution counsel had informed the court that some of the witnesses billed to testify in the matter were available.
He, therefore, prayed the court to allow the EFCC to open its case immediately, an application that was opposed by the defence counsel.
Besides, EFCC argued that Bello’s bail application was incompetent since it was filed before the defendants were arraigned before the court.
“This court only assumed jurisdiction upon the arraignment of the defendants.
“It is only after arraignment that the bail application can arise and be heard.
“The application is premature, hasty, and contradicts the meaning of bail,” EFCC’s counsel, Pinheiro, SAN, submitted.
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