EFCC: Judge Did not Fault Detention of Jonathan’s Cousin

Senator Iroegbu in Abuja

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has debunked the report that Justice Olasumbo Goodluck of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court faulted the commission for its continued detention of Jonathan’s cousin.

The Head, Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said in a statement on Friday that the story tended to create the wrong notion that the judge condemned the. commission for allegedly violating the fundamental rights of Roberts Azibaola, who is under investigation for receiving $40 million in a phantom contract from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

According to Uwujaren, this is far from what transpired in court on Wednesday May 25, 2016, when her lordship delivered her ruling in the fundamental rights enforcement application of Azibaola.

He said that contrary to the impression created by the jaundiced report, the court did not fault the detention of Azibaola by the EFCC as her lordship held that a remand warrant was validly obtained by the respondent in line with provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice (ACJ) Act and consequently dismissed the application of Azibaola for lack of merit.

He said that the court merely frowned upon the commission’s inability to produce the suspect in line with an earlier order of court on the ex-parte application of Azibaola for which counsel representing the EFCC apologised to her lordship.

Further details later