Former Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, facing a 19-count charge of money laundering, has requested the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to prosecute him in Kogi rather than Abuja.
In a letter to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, Bello argued that the alleged offenses occurred in Kogi State, thus falling under the jurisdiction of the Lokoja Division of the high court.
“All the funds which the complainant alleged to have been laundered by the defendant are monies of the government of Kogi State whose state capital is in Lokoja.
“All the bank accounts from which the said monies are stated to be laundered from as shown in the proof of evidence are domiciled with the branches of the respective banks in Lokoja, Kogi State.
“Thus, the law is settled that generally, the Federal High Court’s jurisdiction is one all over the federation, the court is divided into judicial divisions and where a crime is committed in any of the divisions, criminal proceedings, thereof, must be initiated and prosecuted in that very judicial division of the Federal High Court where the act or omission or the elements of the offence were allegedly committed.
“It is pertinent to note that the Defendant was governor of Kogi State, the charges and the proof of evidence indicate criminal breach of trust, criminal misappropriation and money laundering in respect of the statutory funds of Kogi State.
“These are the alleged predicate offences and all their elements took place in Kogi State, within the territorial jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, Lokoja Judicial Division.
“We humbly urge my Lord, to transfer the subject charge to the Lokoja Division of the Federal High Court which is the Division with the territorial jurisdiction to try the case,” the letter read.
When the case was called, Bello was absent. His lawyer, Mr. Adeola Adedipe, SAN, informed the court that the Chief Judge had directed the EFCC to respond to the transfer request, but no response had been received yet.
In response, EFCC counsel Mr. Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, requested that Bello’s lawyers be cited for contempt for failing to produce their client in court, despite multiple undertakings.
He argued that this failure breaches professional conduct rules and urged the court to take summary action to maintain judicial integrity.
This development follows previous delays, with Bello’s absence in court being a recurrent issue.
