In a ruling on Tuesday, Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to serve former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello with charges of alleged N80 billion fraud through his lawyer, Abdulwahab Mohammed.
The order was granted after the EFCC filed an application for substituted service, arguing that Bello had repeatedly evaded service. Lead counsel for the anti-graft agency, Kemi Pinheiro, presented the application.
Despite initially declining to accept the charges, Mohammed was compelled to do so by Justice Nwite, who rejected his request to have a junior lawyer receive them on Bello’s behalf.
Bello was represented by Mohammed at Tuesday’s hearing, but he was once again absent from court. Last week, Justice Nwite issued a bench warrant against Bello following an application by the EFCC. The agency has since declared him wanted for his persistent absence and evasion of the charges. CONTINUE READING
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