The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has demanded the trial of the former governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello.
The anti-graft agency wanted the two lawyers, Abdulwahab Mohammed and Adeola Adedipe, who are both Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SAN prosecuted by the Federal High Court in Abuja for failing to produce the former governor in Court.
CAPITAL POST recalled that the two senior representing Bello in Court in the trial of N80.2 billion loot while in office as governor of Kogi State.
Bello was expected to be in Court personally during his trial in line with the administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2014, but his defence lawyers stood as sureties and promise to produce him at a later Court sitting which they never did.
Bello had, instead, gone into hiding and never showed up in Court, hence, the EFCC has turned the heat on the lawyers and accused them of professional misconduct and contempt of court.
In an application led by Kemi Pinheiro SAN, the EFCC accused the two senior lawyers of deliberately preventing Bello from appearing in court to frustrate his arraignment.
Pinheiro SAN urged Justice Emeka Nwite to invoke Rule 31 of the Rules of Professional Conduct for legal practitioners to sanction the two lawyers and uphold the respect and sanctity of the court.
Pinheiro SAN, who has 38 years of legal experience and 19 years as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, expressed his dismay at the actions of the lawyers, stating he has never seen officers of the court deliberately undermine the court.
In response, Adedipe defended himself and requested to withdraw from further representing the former governor in the trial.
