Barring any untoward occurrence, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission will arraign former Anambra Governor Willie Obiano before a Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday on alleged complicity in financial fraud involving about N4billion.
Sources at the EFCC confirmed to The Nation late on Tuesday that a charge had been filed before the court to that effect and that all arrangements have been tidied up for the arraignment.
It was learnt that the EFCC is charging Obiano with money laundering related offences on accounts of the movement of some funds, estimated at N4,008,573,350 while he was the Governor between 2014 and 2022.
It was further learnt that the case has since been assigned to Justice Inyang Ekwo.
Meanwhile, a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Apo, Abuja on Tuesday ordered the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to promptly arrest the Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede and the commission’s Head of Proceeds of Crime Unit, Aliyu Yusuf for disobeying an order of the court made on December 6, 2023.
Justice Abubakar Hussaini Musa ordered the IGP to arrest the two senior officials of the EFCC and produce them before his court on January 25 to show cause why they should not be sent to prison for disobeying the court’s order.
The enrolled copy of the ruling reads: And upon reading a 16-paragraph affidavit in support of the application deposed to by High Chief Ikechi Emenike of No. 6 Aso Drive, Abuja, the claimant/applicant in this suit, to which four exhibits were attached, and a written address in support of the application; and after listening to Adeyemi Pitan Esq, counsel for the claimant/applicant argue in favour of the application and Hadiza Afegbua Esq, counsel for the defendant/respondent (EFCC) informing the honourable court that she has no response to the application; it is hereby ordered as follows:
*That an order is hereby made directing the Inspector-General of Police to arrest Ola Olukoyede, who is the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Aliyu Yusuf, who is the Head of Proceeds of Crime Unit, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for the purpose of committing them to prison for disobeying the Orders of this honourable court contained in the ruling of this court delivered on the 6th day of December, 2023.
*That an order is hereby made directing Ola Olukoyede, who is the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Aliyu Yusuf, who is the Head of Proceeds of Crime Unit, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to appear before this honourable court on the date mentioned in this order to show cause why an order
in this court to show cause why an order for their committal to prison should not be made.
*That this suit is hereby adjourned to the 25th day of January, 2024 for hearing.
Justice Musa had, on December 6, upon a motion by Chief Ikechi Emenike, governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last election, ordered the EFCC and its operatives to vacate his private residence on 6 Aso Drive, Abuja.
In an affidavit supporting a Form 49 (application for committal) filed by Emenike, he alleged that despite the court’s order being served on the EFCC, operatives of the EFCC, acting on the instruction of the Chairman failed to comply with the order.
Emenike said: “Notwithstanding the service of the enrolled order, the respondent (EFCC) and its principal officers named in this contempt proceedings (Ola Olukoyede and Aliyu Yusuf) have refused to obey the said court order.
“In a strange fashion, on December 7, 2023, at about 6:000m, 35 operatives of the defendant on the authority and directive of the Chairman and Head of p
Proceeds of Crime Unit, over powered the security and domestic guards and broke into my living room when I was barely on pajamas.
“My lawyers caused to be filed on December 8, 2023, Form 48 that is, notice of consequences of disobedience.
“But the principal officers of the defendant, named in this proceedings refused to be served personally.
“My lawyers swiftly filed an application for substituted service of the order on the principal officers of the defendant named in this contempt proceedings, which application was granted on December 12, 2023 directing the Forms 48 to be served either by DHL Courier or by pasting same on the gate of the defendant .
“In compliance with the order of the court, my lawyer immediately caused to be sent through the DHL Courier the court order as well as the Form 48, which was delivered on 18th December 2023.
“The defendant has refused to vacate the premises of the claimant even after It was in receipt of the order of this honorable court and the said Form 48.”
