Judge asks LPDC to investigate Yahaya Bello’s lawyers over ‘misconduct’

A federal high court in Abuja has reported two senior advocates of Nigeria — Abdulwahab Mohammed and Adeola Adedipe — to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) for investigation and necessary sanctions over alleged professional misconduct.

Mohammed and Adedipe are representing Yahaya Bello, former governor of Kogi, in the criminal charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Delivering a ruling during the proceedings on Wednesday, Emeka Nwite, presiding judge, held that the senior lawyers had disrespected the court by failing to produce their client as promised.

However, the judge said he would consider any application they may file for a variation of the ruling.

Adedipe had also drawn the court’s attention to an application he filed seeking to withdraw his appearance for the defendant.

Nwite granted the application.

The EFCC is seeking to prosecute Bello on 19 counts bordering on alleged money laundering, breach of trust and misappropriation of funds to the tune of N80.2 billion.

However, the former governor has failed to appear in court on every adjourned date.

Bello, who handpicked Ahmed Ododo as his successor, has been enjoying protection from the security agents attached to the state since the botched attempt by the EFCC to arrest him.

TheCable understands that the EFCC has issued a Red Notice on Bello to the international police organisation, also known as Interpol, based on the warrant of arrest issued by a federal high court in Abuja.

A Red Notice is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition or surrender.

It means Bello can now be arrested in any country he visits — except Micronesia, North Korea, Palau and Tuvalu, which are not members of Interpol.