Judge Reads Judgment for 4 Hours as Yahaya Bello’s Trial Turns to “Wait-and-Get” Drama!

“I Pity Your Lordship” – Prosecution Counsel Reacts as Marathon Ruling Delays High-Profile Case

There was a mild drama on Tuesday at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Maitama, as the ongoing trial of the former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Adoza Bello, suffered a significant delay due to a four-hour judgment reading in a separate civil matter.

The proceedings, presided over by Justice Maryann Anenih, were scheduled to begin early in the morning, with legal teams arriving as early as 9:00 AM. However, the court spent the bulk of the morning session delivering a full judgment in a different case before calling the criminal matter between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Bello.

As the court finally prepared to commence the cross-examination of a prosecution witness by Z. E. Abbas, counsel to the third defendant, the clock was already nearing the 2:30 PM adjournment time.

Lead prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), expressed concern over the “exhausting” procedure. In a moment that caught the attention of those in the gallery, Pinheiro urged the court to adopt the efficiency of the apex court to save time and energy.

“My Lord, I was actually pitying Your Lordship while reading the entire judgment for almost four hours. At the Supreme Court, the practice is that only the first three pages and the last four pages are read… that approach saves time and helps preserve the health and energy of the court,” Pinheiro remarked.

Despite the prosecution’s plea to extend the sitting time to allow the defense to conclude their cross-examination, the court indicated it would rise to maintain the schedule.

Justice Anenih subsequently adjourned the matter to Wednesday, March 11, and Thursday, March 12, for the continuation of the hearing.

In a final directive, the judge ordered that the case be placed as number two on the cause list for the following day to ensure a prompter start, notwithstanding the earlier delays that characterized Tuesday’s session.