Whistle Blower Lands in Prison for Giving False Information

Alex Enumah in Abuja
An Upper Area court sitting in Gudu, Abuja, has remanded one Ahmed Echoda in Keffi prison for giving false information which led to the raiding of the house of the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.

Before his remand, Echoda was arraigned by on a one-count charge of criminal conspiracy and giving false information to mislead public servant contrary to 97(1) and 140 of penal code law.

The count reads: “That you Ahmed Echoda, 50, of No 44 Living Truth Street Masaka, Nassarawa State, and one Maiwada Adamu now at large did conspired within yourselves by informing the office of Inspector General of Police (IG) at Guzepe Area of Abuja that house no 10 Gamges street, Maitama in Abuja occupied by Oliver Ogbenyi is being maintained and used for criminal activities, including keeping of arms and ammunition, unfortunately after the police carried out diligence execution of the search warrant, no incriminating items were found there. You, by such action, mislead the police, hereby committing the above offences.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge read before him.
In supporting his plea of not guilty, the defendant told the court that the police have not proven to him how he passed false information to them.

“I neither passed a written nor verbal information to the police,” he stated.
The defence counsel, Mr. Peter Ugwuoke, then applied for bail of the defendant.
Prosecution counsel, David Taiwo, opposed the bail application on the grounds that the offence allegedly committed by the defendant was not ordinarily bailable.

“The accused may tamper with investigation since one of the accused person is still at large.
“Therefore, we are praying the court to refuse this bail application,” Taiwo said.
After listening to both parties, Chief Magistrate Umar Kagarko adjourned till June 5 for ruling on the bail application.