In a development on Thursday, June 27, 2024, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Adeola Adedipe filed a motion at the Federal High Court in Abuja to withdraw his representation of the former Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, who faces a 19-count charge including allegations of money laundering, breach of trust, and misappropriation of approximately N80.2 billion in public funds.
The controversy unfolded when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) urged the court to hold Bello’s legal team accountable for the former governor’s absence at his scheduled arraignment. The EFCC’s lead counsel, Mr. Kemi Pinhero, SAN, accused the defense lawyers of not honoring their commitment to ensure Bello’s attendance, which, according to him, violates professional conduct rules.
“Our application is that since one of the lawyers is present in court, he should be moved to the dock and dealt with summarily, as the law mandates,” stated Pinhero, urging disciplinary action against the senior lawyers representing Bello. He argued that, “If a Chief Justice of Nigeria can be docked before an inferior tribunal, who then is an SAN or a former governor in terms of status?”
Pinhero further criticized the defense for allegedly using “chicanery to frustrate” the trial, noting, “For five consecutive sittings, the defendant refused to make himself available for his trial. If this sort of conduct is not punished, we risk sliding into a situation worse than ‘Animal Farm.'”
In response, Adedipe, SAN, refuted the allegations and clarified his role in the case. “My lord, the narration by the prosecution counsel is very untrue and accentuated by malice. I am not the lead counsel in this matter,” Adedipe argued, accusing the EFCC of failing to execute a warrant for Bello’s arrest and stating that his team had informed the court about their lack of knowledge regarding Bello’s whereabouts.
Given the circumstances, Adedipe cited section 349(8) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, as the basis for his decision to withdraw from the defense, although the EFCC opposed this move, calling it a belated attempt to evade responsibility.
“My lord, he should be used to set an example that this is not a lottery game,” Pinhero contended, urging the court to deny Adedipe’s withdrawal request and to instead summon him to the dock.
Trial Justice Emeka Nwite has yet to make a ruling on the matter, leaving the court in anticipation of a decision that could set a precedent for handling similar legal disputes in the future.
