Court Strikes Out N2.9bn EFCC Suit Against Okorocha

A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, discharged former Governor of Imo State, Sen. Rochas Okorocha, of N2.9 billion fraud charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a ruling, struck out the EFCC’s suit for being in contravention of Section 105 (3) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, which gives the Honourable Attorney-General (HAGF) of the Federation the power to recall a case.

EFCC had said it received an intelligence report about criminal diversion, abuse of office and money laundering against Okorocha while running the affairs of Imo State government between 2011 and 2019. The commission said that the intelligence was investigated and confirmed to be true.

The anti-corruption agency then filed a 17-count charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/28/22 against Okorocha and others. Okorocha, who is the 1st defendant, was arraigned alongside Anyim Nyerere Chinenye, Naphtali International Limited, Perfect Finish Multi Projects Limited, Consolid Projects Consulting Limited, Pramif International Limited, and Legend World Concepts Limited as 2nd to 7th defendants respectively. He was alleged to have laundered funds to the tune of N2.9 billion while serving as governor of Imo.

But Justice Ekwo, on May 31, 2022, admitted Okorocha to bail in the sum of N500 million with one surety in like sum. The judge also granted Okorocha’s co-defendant, Chinenye, bail in the terms of the administrative bail earlier granted to him by the EFCC.

But Okorocha, who currently represents Imo West Senatorial District, had filed a preliminary objection, alongside the 5th defendant, praying for an order quashing the charge and/or all counts of the charge preferred against him. The senator described the suit as being “unlawful, baseless, oppressive and a gross abuse of the process of the court.”

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Posted: at 6-02-2023 04:14 PM (1 month ago) | Hero

only in Nigeria

Posted: at 6-02-2023 04:42 PM (1 month ago) | Grande Master

Does EFCC and their prosecuting lawyers not their homework thoroughly or something? Let's wait and see what the Supreme court's judgement first before we say more.

Posted: at 6-02-2023 07:43 PM (1 month ago) | Gistmaniac

Mtchew

Posted: at 7-02-2023 11:00 AM (1 month ago) | Gistmaniac