The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory will on December 10 determine whether to grant bail or not to.the embattled former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had on Wednesday asked the court to deny bail to the former governor after he was brought to court.
Counsel to EFCC, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, had told the court that Yahaya is flight risk as he had repeatedly refused to make himself available for his trial and as such should not be granted bail.
The prosecution counsel had informed the court that some of the witnesses billed to testify in the matter, were available.
Pinheiro also argued that Bello’s bail application was premature having been filed before he was arraigned, adding that it was incompetent.
“This court only assumed jurisdiction upon the arraignment of the defendants. It is only after arraignment that the bail application can arise and be heard. The application is premature, hasty, and contradicts the meaning of bail,” Pinheiro said
EFCC ‘s refusal followed a bail application filed by Yahaya ‘s lawyer, a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Joseph Daudu, SAN.
Daudu, SAN, had drawn the attention of the court to a bail application his client filed on November 22.
In the application, Yahaya argued that he enjoys the presumption of innocence under the law, contending that granting him bail would enable him to effectively prepare his defence to the charge.
Dauda told the court that the former governor was only served with a copy of the charge against him, around 11pm on Tuesday, November 26, adding that he made himself available as an act of obedience to the summons that was issued on him.