The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has vowed to arraign the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, in person before the court for offences bordering on money laundering.
The EFCC stated that it was not deterred by several tricks used by Bello to frustrate his arrest, stressing that it is eager to engage the former governor in the courtroom.
The anti-graft agency said this in a statement on Wednesday, September 25, 2024.
The statement by the EFCC came after the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday, adjourned Bello’s arraignment until October 30, 2024.
The adjournment by presiding judge Justice Emeka Nwite came as Bello moved to the Supreme Court to file an appeal seeking to set aside the arrest warrant issued by the trial court on April 17 against him.
Speaking on the development, the EFCC said though Bello had made several unsuccessful attempts to frustrate his ongoing trial through “some irresponsible and utterly rascally efforts”, the appropriate place of surrender would be before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The commission disclosed that Bello’s lawyers had undertaken to produce him before Justice Nwite to answer to the 18-count charges of money laundering preferred against him by the anti-graft agency.
It stated: “Yahaya Bello should be more interested in clearing his name than playing the victim and crying persecution, where none exists. To even insinuate that he was the target of a phantom assassination attempt because the EFCC made efforts to effect his arrest at the Kogi State Governor’s Lodge where he had been hiding, is preposterous.
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“It is the first time in the Commission’s more than two decades existence that such a jejune claim would be made. This is no more than scaremongering, intended to scandalise the Commission.
“But EFCC is not deterred by this, and other shenanigans by the ex-governor. The Commission remains committed to ensuring that the law takes its course in the money laundering charges already filed against Yahaya Bello in Court.
“EFCC is eager to engage the former governor in the courtroom where the avalanche of evidence so painstakingly assembled can be presented and arguments marshalled for justice to be served to all parties involved in this saga.
“The true test of Yahaya Bello’s willingness to abide by the law in the criminal proceedings instituted against him at the Federal High Court Abuja by the EFCC is to present himself to the court in obedience to the order of Justice Nwite.
“His presence in court is the only step that will convince Nigerians that his touted submission to the EFCC which was widely reported in the media on September 18, was not a stunt.”
The EFCC further stated that Bello is yet to take his plea in the alleged N80.2 billion money laundering charges preferred against him before Justice Nwite, adding: “The incident of Wednesday, September 18, 2024, regarding the orchestrated antics of the former governor to surrender himself to the EFCC, having denied being invited by the Commission and operating underground as a fugitive for several months, expectedly raised concerns and curiosity of many Nigerians who had been waiting frantically for his arrest and trial.
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“Yahaya Bello’s matter cannot define the success or failure of the works of the EFCC, as the scorecard of the Commission is remarkable and undeniably impressive.
“The EFCC is not unaware of the fact that corruption fights back. Bello must have his day in court, no matter the recourse to blackmail, appeal to emotive public sympathy or acts of brigandage.”
The EFCC said it had arraigned three former ministers, two ex-governors, several top government officials, and internet fraudsters, among others in 2024, noting that many individuals would be arraigned in due course.
It added: “Every former governor, minister, head of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) being investigated by the Commission would soon be charged to court.
“The EFCC is not running a circus show. Corruption issues should not be turned into a theatre of the absurd. Those who harbor a criminal suspect should know that the act is also a criminal offence which is also punishable in law.”
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