Justice Marryann Anenih of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), sitting at Maitama, Abuja, on Thursday extended the deadline for the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, to appear in court. This follows the public summons issued by the court on October 3, now set to expire on November 27.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had filed a fresh 16-count charge, marked FCT/HC/CR/778/24, against Bello, Umar Shuaibu Oricha, and Abdulsalami Hudu, accusing them of criminal breach of trust regarding the sum of N110,446,470,089, among other allegations.
At the resumed hearing on Thursday, Jamiu Agoro, representing the prosecution, informed the court that the EFCC had granted administrative bail to the second and third defendants.
Agoro also stated that the prosecution had adhered to the court’s October 3 directive by publishing the public summons in a national daily, as well as pasting it at the last known address of the first defendant.
According to Agoro, the 30-day duration of the summons will expire on November 17, meaning the public summons is still in effect.
In light of this, Agoro argued that it would not be appropriate to take the defendants’ pleas while the summons remains valid. He further stated that the former governor is expected to appear before the court on the next adjourned date, and failure to do so would prompt the prosecution to make the necessary application.
He then prayed for the court to extend the time for the first defendant to appear and for an order to issue and paste a hearing notice at the former governor’s last known address, Number 9, Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja.
Agoro also requested an adjournment to November 27, noting that the parties had agreed on the date.
Counsels for the second and third defendants, Aliyu Sarki SAN and Z.E Abbas, confirmed the release of their clients on administrative bail by the EFCC, but did not oppose the adjournment application.
After hearing from all parties, Justice Anenih adjourned the case to November 27, ordering that the former governor be served with the hearing notice and that it be pasted at his last known address.