Alleged N89.2b money laundering: Court rules on service of charge on Yahaya Bello through lawyer, Tuesday

By Vivian Okejeme,Abuja

Justice Emeka Nwite will Tuesday, rule on the application on weather by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) can server court processes to former governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello through his counsel.
At the last adjourned date, EFCC’s counsel, Kemi Piniero SAN, urged the court to compel the ex-governor’s lawyer to accept service of the processes, explaining that it has been impossible to serve the charge sheet on him personally.
Counsel to Yahaya, Abdul Wahab Mohammed, said he doesn’t have the authority of the defendant to accept service of the charges and proof of evidence.
He insisted that the Abuja division of the court or the EFCC cannot arraign his client adding that his preliminary objection application has to be taken first, but the EFCC came behind him through a motion-exparte to obtain a warrant of arrest.
Therefore, the court adjourned to reconvene Tuesday for ruling.
The EFCC , Thursday, informed Justice Emeka Nwite its intension to invite the Nigerian Army to effect the arrest of former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Adoza Bello for arraignment before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
The anti-graft agency, through its legal team issued the threat before the court after explaining how a person of immunity protected Bello from arrest following the court’s bench warrant.
The court had fixed today(Thursday) for arraignment of Bello alongside the ex-governor’s nephew, Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman and Abdulsalam Hudu on 19- count charges bordering on money laundering to the tune of N80, 246, 470, 088.88.
When they called up, Thursday, EFCC’s counsel, Kemi Piniero SAN said in open court that the Commission was aware that Bello is been harboured in the home of a person that has immunity.
He submitted that immunity is only attached to a person, not his house or car, adding that the law allows Nigerian security agencies to break into a house to arrest a defendant.