An application filed by former Governor of
Imo, Sen. Rochas Okorocha at a Federal High Court, Abuja, has been adjourned
until Feb. 6 for ruling.
Justice Inyang Ekwo fixed the date on
Friday after counsel to the parties adopted their processes and presented their
arguments for and against Okorocha’s preliminary objection.
Okorocha had requested an order tossing the
charge and/or all counts of the charge brought against him as a result of the
EFCC’s investigation into his actions while serving as governor of Imo between
2011 and 2019.
The motion on notice was dated and filed on
October 28 and bears the file number FHC/ABJ/CR/28/22.
The suit, according to Okorocha, who
currently represents the Imo West Senatorial District, is “illegal,
unjustified, and repressive and a gross abuse of the process of the court.”
He said that the investigation “on which
the said charge was predicated, was the subject matter of suit number:
FCH/PH/FHR/165/2021 wherein this Hon. Court, Coram Pam, J. had, in the final
judgment at the suit of the applicant. declared unlawful and made an order
prohibiting the EFCC from
further proceeding.”
But the EFCC, in its counter affidavit
dated and filed on Nov. 18, said it had seen and read through Okorocha’s motion
dated Oct. 28, that “the depositions therein are grossly misleading and untrue
particularly paragraphs 3 and 4.”
The anti-corruption agency urged the court
to dismiss the application for lacking merit.
Ola Olanipekun SAN, Okorochas’ attorney,
requested the court to allow the application and toss out the 17-count
indictment brought against his client during the case’s resumed hearing.
K. N. Ugwu, the attorney for the EFCC,
disagreed with Olanipekun’s assertion and urged the court to reject the request
entirely.
Consolid Projects Consulting Ltd. (5th
defendant), which was also represented by Darlington Ozurumba, approved his
move on notice to have the accusation against the business dismissed.
He urged the court to reject the entire
case because it was a misuse of the legal system.