Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected the plea made by former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, to lift the arrest warrant issued against him by the court.
The Judge emphasized that Bello’s continued evasion of the court’s summonses amounted to contempt of court, thereby disqualifying him from receiving any leniency or special treatment.
In delivering the ruling on Friday regarding Bello’s request to revoke the arrest warrant, the court emphasized that Bello’s persistent absence from arraignment proceedings demonstrated a lack of respect for the court’s authority.
The court firmly dismissed Bello’s application, asserting that it was devoid of merit and criticized Bello’s attempt to dictate terms to the court from the comfort of his own space.
Furthermore, the Judge rebuffed Bello’s argument challenging the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court to hear the criminal charges against him, emphasizing that Bello must first appear for arraignment and have his plea entered before making any legal motions or requests.
Bello had previously argued on April 23 that the arrest warrant against him was unnecessary, citing his lead counsel’s acceptance of the criminal charges on his behalf. These charges relate to an alleged N80 billion money laundering offense brought against him by the Federal Government.
Further details on the matter are expected to be provided later.
