A Lagos State Magistrate’s Court in Ikeja on Friday ordered the remand of the Managing Director of Kakatar Civil Engineering Company, Robert Azibaola, in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over his role in an alleged $40m fraud.
It was learnt that Azibaola, who is said to be a cousin of former President Goodluck Jonathan, is being investigated by the EFCC on the allegation that he diverted the $40m through a company, One-Plus Holdings, which was awarded the contract of pipeline surveillance.
The EFCC obtained the order to remand Azibaola in its custody pending investigation from a Lagos State Magistrate’s Court presided over by B.O. Osunsanmi.The Azibaola was said to have received the money from the office of the National Security Adviser then under the watch of Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.).
The court adjourned further hearing in the case to May 23, 2016.
But Azibaola’s lawyer, Chief Chris Uche (SAN), has accused the EFCC of high-handedness.
Uche claimed that Justice Goodluck Olasunbor of a Federal Capital Territory High Court had already admitted his client to bail.
According to him, the Abuja judge had faulted the EFCC’s continued detention of his client, holding that the EFCC violated Azibaola’s rights enshrined in the Constitution.
He said Justice Olasunbor granted his client bail with two sureties who must be serving or retired Directors in any federal ministry or parastatal.
Uche contended that the transfer of his client from Abuja to Lagos to get a remand order after he was admitted to bail by the Abuja judge was unlawful.
Uche said, “This is scandalous to say the least. It is a sad irony that a commission that claims that nobody is above the law is portraying itself as being above the law.”
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