Former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello has prayed the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to set aside an arrest warrant issued against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Bello, through his lawyer, Abdulwahab Mohammed (SAN), told presiding judge Justice Emeka Nwite that the court lacked jurisdiction to grant the order in the first instance on Thursday, April 18, 2024.
Mohammed told Justice Nwite when the matter was called for the ex-governor to be arraigned by EFCC on 19-count money laundering charge.
The judge had, on Wednesday, ordered EFCC to issue a warrant for the arrest of Bello.
The judge, who granted the order, directed that Bello should be brought to court today (Thursday) to take his plea in the charge preferred against him.
Mohammed informed the court that a preliminary objection had already been filed before the court to the effect.
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The lawyer, who urged the court to vacate the arrest warrant order, said a High Court in Kogi State, on February 9, restrained the anti-graft agency from arresting, detaining or prosecuting Bello.
He said the order was challenged by the EFCC at the Court of Appeal and the matter was already fixed for hearing.
Mohammed said the arrest warrant the commission got from the court was an attempt to bring the court on a collision course with the Appeal Court.
He said the issue of jurisdiction was a threshold the court must address first.
However, EFCC’s lawyer, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), disagreed with Mohammed’s submission.
Pinheiro said the matter was fixed for Bello’s arraignment and Mohammed, having announced an appearance for the ex-governor, could be served in the open court for the matter to proceed.
He said the arrest warrant was to ensure that Bello was produced in court to stand his trial since all efforts to affect the service on him proved abortive.
Justice Nwite, thereafter, adjourned the matter until May 23, 2024, for ruling on substituted service of the charge on Bello.
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