A former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu on Thursday at the Federal High Court in Abuja accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC’ of being responsible for his travails at the London court where he is in detention.
The Senator who has been in custody in
London over an alleged organ harvesting scandal told the Federal High Court
that the anti-graft agency wrote a letter to the London Court that made the
foreign court refuse to admit him to bail.
Ekweremadu’s allegations were contained in
an application he filed before a Nigerian court seeking an order to set aside
interim order granted in favour of the Federal Government forfeiture of 40 of
his properties in the country and outside the country.
In the application brought by his counsel,
Chief Adegboyega Awomolo SAN, Ekweremadu claimed that the forfeiture order was
granted by the Federal Government in error because the EFCC suppressed
information and facts in respect of the properties.
Specifically, the detained Senator alleged
that the EFCC fraudulently obtained the forfeiture order for the government by
concealing information that the investigation on the 40 properties started as
far back as 2008.
Among others, he alleged that the EFCC was
fully aware that he was in detention in London when the application for forfeiture
of the properties was filed and argued.
He said that the anti-graft agency
deliberately refused to disclose to the court that he was in London detention
and would not be able to counter the forfeiture request.
The Senator, therefore, prayed the court to
set aside the forfeiture order and stay proceedings in the matter until he
resolves his ordeal before the London Court.
However, counsel to the EFCC, Mr Silvanus
Tahir SAN denied that his client was behind Ekweremadu’s ordeal.
He, however, admitted that EFCC wrote the
London Court based on a special request adding that it was a normal routine for
anti-graft agencies to exchange information that would be of help to one
another.
Tahir did not oppose the request for a stay
of proceedings till Ekweremadu fully resolved his matter before the London
Court he, however, vehemently opposed the request for setting aside of the
forfeiture order.
Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo after taking
arguments from parties fixed January 11 next year for ruling in the matter.
FACTUAL NAIJA NEWS recalls that the court had on Friday, November 4 ordered
interim forfeiture of 40 landed properties linked to Ekweremadu in some parts
of the country and outside the country.
Justice Ekwo issued the order following an
ex -parte motion filed and moved by Ibrahim Buba, lawyer to the EFCC.
Justice Ekwo, who granted the motion,
ordered the anti-graft agency to publish the interim forfeiture order of the
property in a national daily within seven days.
The judge had directed anybody who has an
interest in the forfeited property to indicate within 14 days of the
publication of the interim forfeiture order on why the property should not be
permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
The affected property includes 10
properties in Enugu, three in the United States of America, two in the UK, one
in Lagos, nine in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates and 15 located in the Federal
Capital Territory.