The immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, alongside two others, has pleaded not guilty to a series of criminal charges brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The arraignment took place before Justice Maryann Anenih at the FCT High Court.
The courtroom was charged with tension as Bello, identified as the first defendant, firmly denied all 16 counts read out by the court registrar. His defense counsel, JB Daudu, SAN, promptly moved for bail, emphasizing that "a defendant is innocent until proven guilty," and thus should enjoy his liberty while preparing for trial. However, this motion faced opposition from the EFCC's counsel, Kemi Pinheiro SAN, who argued that the bail application had expired in October.
The EFCC was eager to commence the trial immediately, ready to call its first witness. Yet, Bello's legal team requested additional time, citing the late service of charges received at 11 pm on November 26 as a reason for needing more preparation time.
Daudu further contended that issues from another court should not influence the current proceedings, especially when jurisdictional challenges are unresolved.
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