The trial of former Taraba State Governor Darius Ishaku was stalled on Wednesday at an Abuja High Court due to the absence of Bello Yero, a former Permanent Secretary in the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had charged Ishaku and Yero with criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, and misappropriation of public funds totaling N27 billion. Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the allegations.
At the resumed hearing, Yero’s lawyer, Adeola Adedipe (SAN), apologised to the court for his client’s absence and took responsibility for the situation. Adedipe explained that Yero had always attended court since the start of the trial, but he mistakenly believed that the court date had been vacated.
Upon realizing that proceedings were scheduled, Adedipe contacted Yero, who was in Adamawa State, instructing him to travel to Abuja on the earliest available flight. The lawyer requested a stand-down of the matter until 1 p.m., noting that Yero was at Yola Airport en route to the capital.
Counsel for Ishaku, Chris Umar (SAN), said he would normally not oppose the request but highlighted that the former governor was unwell and had a scheduled medical appointment after the hearing.
The prosecution, led by Oluwaleke Atolagbe, initially expressed concern over the stand-down since witnesses were already present in court. However, Atolagbe acknowledged that Yero had consistently attended prior proceedings and urged the court to grant the application.
Justice Sylvanus Oriji ruled that, based on court records, Yero had always been present for the trial. Considering the unpredictability of flight schedules, the judge opted to adjourn the case instead of granting a stand-down.
The court has now fixed February 9 for the continuation of evidence from the second prosecution witness.
