Yahaya Bello
Yahaya Bello’s Lawyer Seeks Withdrawal from High-Profile Case
Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Adeola Adedipe sought to withdraw his representation of former Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday. Bello faces a 19-count charge involving alleged money laundering, breach of trust, and misappropriation of approximately N80.2 billion in public funds.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) urged the court to sanction Bello's lawyers for failing to ensure his presence at the scheduled arraignment. Lead EFCC counsel, Kemi Pinhero, SAN, cited Order 31(3) of the Rules of Professional Conduct, arguing that the lawyers' failure to honor their undertaking to present Bello constituted professional misconduct and contempt.
Pinhero requested that the court discipline the lawyers to uphold judicial integrity, emphasizing that even high-ranking officials, including a former Chief Justice of Nigeria and a U.S. President, had faced legal accountability.
In response, Adedipe denied being Bello's lead counsel or making any commitment to secure his presence. He accused the EFCC of disrespecting the court by not executing an arrest warrant for Bello. Adedipe informed the court of his team's lack of knowledge regarding Bello's whereabouts and announced his intent to withdraw from the case under section 349(8) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.
The EFCC opposed the withdrawal, arguing it was an afterthought and urged the court to proceed with disciplinary measures. Justice Emeka Nwite has yet to rule on the matter.
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