Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected the plea made by former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello to revoke the arrest warrant issued against him by the court.
The judge ruled that Bello, having displayed contempt of court by evading arraignment in a criminal case, is not eligible for leniency or special treatment.
In delivering the ruling on Bello’s application to annul the arrest warrant, the court emphasized that Bello’s persistent refusal to appear for arraignment demonstrates a lack of respect for the court.
The court dismissed the application on the grounds of its lack of merit, asserting that Bello cannot evade legal proceedings while expecting the court to accommodate his demands.
Furthermore, the judge dismissed Bello’s assertion that the Federal High Court lacks jurisdiction to adjudicate the criminal charges against him. Justice Nwite emphasized that Bello must first appear for arraignment and enter his plea before making any further requests.
Bello had argued on April 23 that the arrest warrant was unnecessary since his lead counsel had accepted service of the criminal charges on his behalf. However, the court rejected this argument, reaffirming the necessity for Bello’s presence in court for arraignment.
