Federal High Court in Abuja, on Friday, refused to proceed with the arraignment of former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, due to the absence of his legal counsel. Justice Emeka Nwite made the ruling after it was revealed that Bello’s lawyer, Abdulwahab Mohammed, SAN, was unaware of the court’s scheduled session for the day.

Bello, facing a 19-count charge related to an alleged N84bn money laundering scheme, was set to take his plea when the absence of his lawyer was noticed. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had pressed the charges, which include accusations of fraud linked to the former governor’s financial dealings.

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When questioned by the court, Bello explained that he had only been informed about the arraignment late the previous evening and had been unable to contact his attorney in time. Despite the defendant’s absence of counsel, EFCC’s lawyer, Kemi Pinheiro, pushed for the arraignment to proceed, arguing that the law only requires the presence of the defendant, not their lawyer.

However, Justice Nwite disagreed, emphasizing that proceeding without the lawyer would violate Bello’s constitutional right to a fair hearing. After a brief delay, the judge adjourned the case until December 13, allowing time for Bello’s counsel to be properly notified. Meanwhile, the former governor will remain in EFCC custody.

This adjournment marks another step in the ongoing legal battles faced by the former governor, who is also facing separate charges of fraud involving N110.4bn at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja.