The scheduled arraignment of Yahaya Bello, former governor of Kogi State, on charges of an alleged N82 billion fraud, descended into chaos on Wednesday. The court session was marked by heated exchanges between senior lawyers, ultimately leading the presiding judge to leave the courtroom in frustration.
The clash involved Abdulwahab Mohammed, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), representing Yahaya Bello, and Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, representing the federal government. The confrontation began when Mohammed announced his representation for Bello, but did not mention his colleague, Adeola Adedipe, SAN.
Pinheiro objected to this exclusion, arguing that Adedipe should remain involved in the proceedings until formally released by the court. Adedipe, however, interrupted, asserting that he did not wish to participate in the case.
Mohammed then stated that Adedipe had filed a notice of withdrawal from the case. As Justice Emeka Nwite prepared to rule on the matter of representation, Mohammed requested permission to step outside if the ruling proceeded.
Tensions escalated when Mohammed accused Pinheiro of being “a rough lawyer who takes delight in misleading the court.” Despite attempts to stop further abusive comments, Mohammed refused to apologize and threatened to leave if the judge issued a ruling.
The courtroom atmosphere became increasingly volatile, prompting Justice Nwite to abruptly end the session and retreat to his chambers. The incident left the courtroom in a state of high tension, with unresolved conflicts between the lawyers and uncertainty about the next steps in the case.
