ABUJA – Erstwhile Governor
of Kogi State, Abubakar
Audu, Thursday, ran before
the Abuja Division of the
Federal High Court, begging
it to invoke its powers and
stop the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission,
EFCC, from arresting him.
The embattled ex-Governor
approached the court shortly
after the anti-graft agency
declared him wanted today.
EFCC had in a statement it
issued launched fresh man-
hunt for the former Governor
over alleged offences
bordering on conspiracy,
stealing and
misappropriation of public
funds.
The commission, via the said
statement signed by its
Acting Head on Media and
Publicity, Mr Wilson
Uwujaren, said its action,
"followed the failure of the
suspect to respond to
invitation", stressing that,
"attempt by the EFCC to arrest
Audu at his 32, Sulaiman
Barau Street , Asokoro, Abuja
residence on December 11,
2012 failed as he allegedly
evaded arrest."
Specifically, Audu was
accused of fraudulently
enriching himself to the tune
of over N4 billion while he
held sway as governor of
Kogi State between 1999
and 2003.
The move to arrest him
followed a Supreme Court
ruling of November 23, 2012,
which gave the EFCC the nod
to go ahead and prosecute
the former Governor, after
the apex court dismissed
appeal seeking to abort his
trial, as substantially lacking
in merit.
Consequently, EFCC, yesterday,
implored "anyone having
useful information about the
whereabouts of the suspect
to notify its offices in Abuja,
Port Harcourt, Lagos , Kano
and Enugu or report at the
nearest police station."
Meanwhile, in a counter
move, the former Governor,
through an originating
summons that was entered
by his lawyer, Chief Mike
Ozekhome, SAN, urged the
high court to put an end to
what he termed "an abuse of
court process" by the EFCC.
Contending that the action of
the agency in declaring him
wanted was baseless, Audu,
told the court that there was
no need to commence any
fresh process of
investigation and or
prosecution against him in
respect of his tenure as
Governor of Kogi state
between May, 1999 and May,
2002, since he had already
been charged on an – 80
count charge still pending at
the High Court of Lokoja,
Kogi state.
of Kogi State, Abubakar
Audu, Thursday, ran before
the Abuja Division of the
Federal High Court, begging
it to invoke its powers and
stop the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission,
EFCC, from arresting him.
The embattled ex-Governor
approached the court shortly
after the anti-graft agency
declared him wanted today.
EFCC had in a statement it
issued launched fresh man-
hunt for the former Governor
over alleged offences
bordering on conspiracy,
stealing and
misappropriation of public
funds.
The commission, via the said
statement signed by its
Acting Head on Media and
Publicity, Mr Wilson
Uwujaren, said its action,
"followed the failure of the
suspect to respond to
invitation", stressing that,
"attempt by the EFCC to arrest
Audu at his 32, Sulaiman
Barau Street , Asokoro, Abuja
residence on December 11,
2012 failed as he allegedly
evaded arrest."
Specifically, Audu was
accused of fraudulently
enriching himself to the tune
of over N4 billion while he
held sway as governor of
Kogi State between 1999
and 2003.
The move to arrest him
followed a Supreme Court
ruling of November 23, 2012,
which gave the EFCC the nod
to go ahead and prosecute
the former Governor, after
the apex court dismissed
appeal seeking to abort his
trial, as substantially lacking
in merit.
Consequently, EFCC, yesterday,
implored "anyone having
useful information about the
whereabouts of the suspect
to notify its offices in Abuja,
Port Harcourt, Lagos , Kano
and Enugu or report at the
nearest police station."
Meanwhile, in a counter
move, the former Governor,
through an originating
summons that was entered
by his lawyer, Chief Mike
Ozekhome, SAN, urged the
high court to put an end to
what he termed "an abuse of
court process" by the EFCC.
Contending that the action of
the agency in declaring him
wanted was baseless, Audu,
told the court that there was
no need to commence any
fresh process of
investigation and or
prosecution against him in
respect of his tenure as
Governor of Kogi state
between May, 1999 and May,
2002, since he had already
been charged on an – 80
count charge still pending at
the High Court of Lokoja,
Kogi state.
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