A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on Thursday, summoned the immediate-past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, for arraignment on October 24.
Bello is to be arraigned alongside Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu following 16 fresh charges brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Bello had previously been declared wanted after Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja issued an arrest warrant on him on April 17.
Bello continuously failed to appear before Justice Nwite’s court, where he was to answer 19 counts bordering on money laundering and misappropriation of funds to the tune of N80.2bn.
Justice Maryanne Anenih, before whom fresh charges have been filed against the former governor, ruled on Thursday that Bello must appear before the court to answer the new 16 counts against him.
READ ALSO: Yahaya Bello faces fresh 16 count charge of N110.4 billion fraud
Justice Anenih’s summons follows an application by the EFCC that it had been unable to serve Bello with the charge filed on September 24, in which Bello and the other defendants were charged with criminal breach of trust to the tune of N110.4bn.
The charges, brought under Sections 96 and 311 of the Penal Code Law Cap.89 Laws of Northern Nigeria, 1963, are punishable under Section 312 of the same law.
Alongside the former governor, two senior Kogi State officials, Abdulsalami Hudu and Umar Oricha, are also being charged.
The defendants are accused of diverting state funds from the Kogi State treasury to purchase high-end properties in FCT and Dubai, United Arab Emirates..
Justice Anenih, while delivering the ruling, ordered the EFCC to publish the public summons in a widely circulating newspaper.
She also ordered the EFCC to paste copies of the public summons on Bello’s last known address and in conspicuous places on the court premises.
Bello was billed to appear Thursday in court for his arraignment in the fresh charge brought against him but his absence stalled the scheduled arraignment.
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