- The court dismissed the application on the grounds that it lacked merit, stating that Bello cannot shun legal proceedings while expecting the court to accommodate his demands
The Federal High Court in Abuja has refused to rule in favour of Yahaya Bello in the former governor’s application to stop his arrest.
Justice Emeka Nwite of the trial court rejected the plea by Bello to revoke the arrest warrant issued against him by the court.
The judge ruled that Bello’s request cannot be granted as he had displayed contempt of court.
Justice Nwite averred that by evading arraignment in a criminal case the embattled former governor 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 amounted to brazen disrespect for the court.
The court dismissed the application on the grounds that it lacked merit, state that Bello cannot avoid 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