Show Posts
# Dariye remanded in EFCC custody
# Turaki weeps in court
ABUJA — FORMER governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Ibrahim Saminu Turaki, standing trial at a Federal High Court, Abuja for alleged stealing of N30 billion public funds broke down in tears, yesterday, moments after Justice Binta Murtala Nyarko ordered that he be remanded in prison custody pending hearing and determination of his bail application.
advertisement
Much as he tried to fight back tears, he eventually broke down in the presence of his wife and sympathisers who were in court to witness the proceeding.
His wife held and comforted him while the former governor shook his head in a manner suggestive that he did not deserve the treatment.
Also remanded in prison yesterday by Justice Nyarko was the former Governor of Abia State, Chief Orji Kalu.
Chief Kalu is also to remain in prison custody pending hearing and determination of his bail application filed by a team of 21 lawyers led by Prof. Livy Ajuonoma and Prof. Awa Kalu (SAN).
The pronouncement for his remand came after he stood in the dock for two hours and 10 minutes to enter his pleas to the 107 charges preferred against him by the EFCC.
But unlike Alhaji Turaki, Chief Kalu did not betray his emotion. Instead, he would once in a while smile and exchange pleasantries with his relations, business/political associates and admirers who thronged the court. He simply said his incarceration in prison custody was no big deal.
One of his lawyers, Chief Mike Ozhekhome, said: “Just as my client has said, the court order that he be remanded in prison custody is no big deal. After all, the immediate past President of this country, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, was in prison before he became President.
“Don’t forget, the famous Nelson Mandela was in prison too for 27 years before he became President of South Africa. It is not the end of the world,†he added.
But to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the court’s pronouncement sending the two former governors of two states to prison custody was a big deal.
Its lead counsel, Mr Rotimi Jacobs said: “That these ex-governors are being sent to jail is an indication that no one is above the law. It is also an indication that the voyage of stamping out corruption in the country is still very much on course. And I can tell you, we will stamp out corruption in this country.â€
He hinted that the accounts of those facing trial might be frozen by court although he was quick to add: “It is not for counsel to say but court.â€
He also said more charges would soon be preferred against Kalu because, according to him, only an aspect of the allegations against the accused had been concluded and that as soon as investigation on the other aspect was rounded off, the second batch of his charge would be filed in court.
Dariye remanded in EFCC custody
Although former Governor of Plateau State, Chief Joshua Dariye, was also arraigned before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court yesterday on a 14-count charge of money-laundering, he was lucky because Justice Babs Kuewumi, did not send him to prison. He was ordered to be remanded in EFCC’s custody.
By 6:30a.m yesterday, all entry points to the high court premises had been cordoned off by a combined team of regular police and mobile policemen, men of the State Security Service and operatives of the EFCC.
Tight security
Journalists, litigants and lawyers were frisked before gaining entry into the OAU Quarters which houses the high court.
Only cars belonging to judges and senior lawyers were allowed to drive into the high court premises. At the gate leading into the high court premises itself were fully armed men of the SSS who politely turned back journalists and litigants.
Asked why journalists were barred, they said it was an order from above. But after a mild protest, men of the SSS allowed journalists in.
Former Governor Turaki was the first of the three ex-governors to arrive the court. He was driven into the court premises at exactly 9:28 a.m in a grey Peugeot Expert with number plate DA 239 ABJ.
He wore a 3-piece native attire made of guinea brocade. He was all smiles with the court room filled to the brim.
Turaki was led by men of the EFCC to the registry unit of the high court where he sat on a bench provided for litigants and lawyers filing cases.
Sitting beside him was his wife. They engaged in a chat.
Turaki who seemed to be pre-occupied with the business of the day occasionally flipped through a copy of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the EFCC and the ICPC Acts which he brought to court.
Occasionally, he would open his copy of the Holy Quran which he also brought from his cell and prayed with his yellow Tesbir wound around his right hand.
He was sitting at the registry unit when another grey Peugeot Expert with number plate AU 328 YAB brought Chief Joshua Dariye. Time was 9.46 a.m. He wore a yellow blazer atop a pair of black trousers. He looked unperturbed, beaming smiles as he alighted from the bus.
One of his lawyers, Dr Olumide Ayeni, who had been waiting for him followed him to the high court room number five presided over by Justice Bas Kuewumi where he was scheduled to be tried.
The court was not as busy as Justice Nyarko’s because there was no public interest litigation scheduled for hearing in the court yesterday except Dariye’s.
Scores of people, including journalists, waited outside for Chief Kalu’s arrival.
But as Kalu was being awaited yesterday, Justice Babs Kuewumi began sitting at exactly 9:56 a.m and former Governor Dariye was docked with all the 14-count charge of money-laundering preferred against him by the EFCC read to him. He entered a plea of not guilty to each of the counts.
Dariye was represented by a team of lawyers led by Chief C I Joseph (SAN) while the Federal Government was represented by Mr J O Uzor.
After the arraignment, his counsel told the court that he had filed a formal application for bail and that he was ready to move it.
Dariye’s counsel who cited the case of Abiola Vs Federal Republic of Nigeria said the offence committed by his client was not felony and that oral application was sufficient to request for his bail
But EFCC represented by Uzor said he had just been served the bail application less than 30 minutes ago. He said since the application was formal, he would want to respond formally too, adding that the commission was not admitting all the facts contained in the bail application filed on behalf of Dariye.
Uzor invited the court to adjourn the case to enable him respond in the interest of justice and the principle of fair hearing.
The judge rose to write a short ruling, adjourning the case till July 19, this year to enable the prosecution respond to the bail application.
Dariye was taken out of the court premises at exactly 11:00a. m. About five minute thereafter, former Governor Kalu was driven into the high court premises in the same metallic green Peugeout Expert bus that brought him to court last Friday. His arrival set the court aglow.
Kalu stepped down from the bus at exactly 11: 06 a.m, waiving to his supporters and admirers.
He wore a black suit atop a pair of black pair of trousers with a sky blue shirt underneath and a yellow tie with red stripes.
Pickpockets have field day
As people gathered around the vehicle that brought him, pick-pockets who came in numbers went into operation, dispossessing people of their valuables. Two journalists, one from the Daily Sun and the other from MITV were victims. They each lost N10,000 and phone handsets to the pick-pockets respectively. About five others also lost wallets, money and handsets yesterday.
Kalu had in his hand a white handkerchief with which he occasionally mopped his face. He was led into the registry unit of the high court where he exchanged pleasantries with those who came to witness his arraignment.
Not too long after he was at the registry unit, he was brought into the court-room where he sat by former Jigawa Governor, Saminu Turaki. They both exchanged pleasantries.
People then gathered from all angles to watch him talk. He appeared uncomfortable because of the heat and he was heard saying: “I was more comfortable outside the courtroom there.â€
Senator Uche Chukwumerije who was in court to solidarise with him was also sweating as he tried to whisper to Kalu to which he nodded severally. Turaki’s case was the first that was dealt with. He faced a 32-count charge.
He was accused of stealing N30 billion public funds. He pleaded not guilty to each of the 32 counts and was sent to prison custody pending the time his bail application would be moved.
The judge ordered parties to file written addresses and adjourned the case till July 23 for adoption of the written addresses on bail.
Although his lawyer asked that he be remanded in EFCC’s custody without any opposition from EFCC’s counsel, Mr Rotimi Jacobs, the judge on her own ordered that Turaki be remanded in prison custody.
Turaki breaks down in tears
Immediately he was asked to step out of the dock, Turaki came back to join his wife who confirmed from him whether indeed he was sent to prison by the judge. In trying to respond, he broke down in tears.
He studied the 1999 constitution, the EFCC and the ICPC Acts for more than two hours which Kalu’s arraignment lasted.
Before Kalu was docked, he asked some of the men of the EFCC if they could get him a copy of the EFCC Act, pointing to a copy being read by Turaki.
The EFCC men said they would but that it would be later, whereupon Kalu said: “There are a lot of faults in the statute. Senator, Senator (he was calling Senator Chukwumerije), when you were passing this law, I objected to it. I said the EFCC’s Act is for political enemies. You can see now.
“You will recall that I challenged it. I, in fact, went to the Supreme Court. There is a fault in the statute,†he said.
I dey kampe — Kalu
As he was talking, a reporter tapped Kalu and asked him: “How you dey sir? I hope you dey kampe?†to which he replied: “I dey more than kampe.â€
He continued: “I know what is wrong. I know why I am here. I know where my problem is coming from. I know where I am being tried,†he said.
Another reporter also greeted the former governor and introduced himself to which he said “good.â€
Facing the reporter, Kalu said: “This is democracy. But we are waiting for everybody here. We are waiting for them. From the number one man to the last person.
He was still making comments when the trial judge, Justice Binta Murtala Nyarko, who had risen after the trial of Turaki sat again at exactly 12:05 p.m. Kalu was immediately docked.
Two court registrars read the counts to him and he entered a plea of not guilty to each of them.
He stood in the dock between 12:05 p.m when the reading of the charge began and 2:15p.m when count 107, being the last count was read to him.
His bail application could not be heard yesterday because it was filed that morning.
The trial judge ordered written addresses in respect of the bail application and adjourned the case till July 25, this year for adoption of their arguments.
Although Mr Jacobs representing EFCC requested that Kalu be remanded in EFCC’s custody to enable them continue with their further probe of Kalu over what he called another aspect of the allegations against him, the trial judge ordered that he be remanded in prison custody.
He stepped out of the dock to take his seat only to find Turaki still reading EFCC’s Act and said: “Ah, ah, my brother, you are still here?†to which Turaki said “yes. But you are a strong man. Standing there for two hours? You are strong.†But Kalu said he was not that strong.
Both Kalu and Turaki were eventually led out of the courtroom to board the cars that brought them to court.
While Turaki was in the car, a vendor came near him, displaying a copy of the Sun Newspaper with a banner headline: Bombshell: Ex-Gov Turaki’s alleged N30bn loot spent on 3rd term.â€
He asked an operative of the EFCC to help him buy a copy which he flipped through, smiling and shaking his head.
Both Turaki and Kalu were eventually driven out of the court premises at exactly 3:12 pm after their warrant of detention in prison were processed in court yesterday.
Source:
http://odili.net/news/source/2007/jul/17/399.html
..........Men ....Guys havn't been doing them right...It must work...no matter how difficult u are!
