The trial of Ali Bello, nephew to former Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello, was on Tuesday stalled at the Federal High Court in Abuja following a request for adjournment by his new counsel.
The development was disclosed in a statement shared on the official page of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
According to the statement, the case is being heard before Justice James Omotosho, with Bello standing trial alongside Dauda Sulaiman on allegations bordering on misappropriation and money laundering amounting to over N10 billion.
It was gathered that the new defence counsel, Ahmed Raji SAN, informed the court that he had just been briefed on the matter and needed time to study the case file.
He said the request had been communicated to the prosecution, seeking adjournment to properly prepare for the case.
However, it was further noted that prosecution counsel Rotimi Oyedepo SAN, opposed the application, arguing that due process was not followed in notifying the court about the change in legal representation.
“My lord, I urge the court not to concede to the request for adjournment on account of a speculative application that is yet to be filed,” he said.
Despite the objection, the court granted the request, citing the need to ensure fair hearing and adjourned the matter to May 5 and 6, 2026.
