On Tuesday, the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court fixed May 10 for ruling on an application by former Governor Yahaya Bello seeking an order to set aside the April 17 arrest warrant issued against him.

Justice Emeka Nwite fixed the date after EFCC’s counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, and the ex-governor’s lawyer, Adeola Adedipe, adopted their processes and presented their arguments in the motion.

On April 17, the judge issued an arrest warrant to EFCC for Bello’s arrest. The order was made after lawyer to the anti-graft agency, Rotimi Oyedepo, moved the ex parte application to the effect.

The EFCC also made an application for substituted service of its bundies of charge and proof of evidence against Mr Bello on April 18 after the ex-governor’s lead lawyer, Abdulwahab Mohammed, declined to receive the documents in open court.

The judge then adjourned until Tuesday for a ruling.

However, after the judge directed the EFCC to serve the charge and proof of evidence on Mr Mohammed, who announced an unconditional appearance for Mr Bello on the last adjourned date, Mr Adedipe prayed the court to set aside the arrest warrant.

He argued that the arrest warrant order, having been made before the charge, ought to be set aside suo motu (on its own accord, without any request by the parties involved).

The lawyer argued that contrary to Pinheiro’s submission that the ex-governor must be in court first before any application could be entertained being a criminal case, he said the anti-graft agency also made an application on April 18 after the warrant arrest was issued to EFCC on April 17 and that the court granted it.

(NAN)