Yahaya Bello has stated that he is willing to appear in court, but is afraid of being arrested by EFCC.
NaijaOnPoint Nigeria reports that the embattled former governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello stated that he is ready to confront the Federal High Court in Abuja regarding the 19-count indictment filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
This Nigeria news platform understands that Adeola Adedipe, SAN, a member of his legal team, said his client would have appeared in court but was worried about being taken into custody.
He said: “The defendant wants to come to court but he is afraid that there is an order of arrest hanging on his head.”
He asked the court to revoke the exparte order of arrest it had previously imposed on the former governor.
Adedipe argued that the charge had not been served on his client as required by law at the time the warrant of arrest was made.
He noted that it was only at the resumed proceedings on Tuesday that the court okayed substituted service of the charge on the defendant, through his lawyer.
“As at the time the warrant was issued, the order for substituted service had not been made. That order was just made this morning.
“A warrant of arrest should not be hanging on his neck when we leave this court,” counsel to the defendant added.