Adams Oshiomhole |
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja and presided by Justice Anwuli Chikere on Tuesday directed that Oshiomole, now the
National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, be served with
an application brought before the court by an anti-corruption crusader,
Bishop Osadolor Ochei, seeking an order of mandamus compelling the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to arrest and commence
criminal proceedings against Oshiomhole over allegations of financial
fraud.
The Judge also ordered that the anti-graft agency be also served with
the court process, stressed that the service be done within five days
from October 9, 2018, when the order was made.
Bishop Ochei’s counsel, Dr West-Idahosa while arguing a motion
ex-parte filed in Suit No FHC/ABJ/CS/628/ 2018 urged the Court to allow
Oshiomhole and the EFCC, who are the respondents in the suit to file a
reply to the weighty allegations made against them by the Applicant in
support of the Federal Government’s anti-corruption fight.
The exparte motion followed Bishop Ochei’s petition to the EFCC on
October 28, 2016, against Oshiomhole, who was governor of Edo state
from November 2008 to November 11, 2016.
Dr Idahosa, in praying the court to grant the request of his client,
referred the court to 86 exhibits filed in support of the application
and added that there are documents and electronic pictures of palatial
houses of the former governor, whose earnings all his life cannot
acquire and that, there are evidence on how Oshiomhole allegedly
diverted money for Edo state project to personal projects.
The Counsel added that there are vouchers of exorbitant airfares that
the former governor incurred, stressing that the amount of the airfares
are enough to buy air carrier for Edo state people.
He said there are receipts of how the ex-governor used huge amount of
money of the state to repair his private vehicles and urged the court
to grant the relief of his client, saying that EFCC has arrested and
prosecuted lesser crimes and there is no reason why the anti-graft
agency should ignore the petition.
Justice Chikere adjourned till 23rd October 2018 for arguments from all the parties in the matter.
Bishop Ochei, in the motion, wants the court to declare that the
anti-graft agency has the statutory duty to investigate and prosecute
the former governor, upon his allegations against him in line with the
Act, establishing the commission.
The allegations bother on the diversion of Edo state fund by the
former governor, now the national chairman of the All Progressives
Congress (APC) to his personal use.
In an affidavit deposed to personally by the applicant, he averred
that, in view of the fact that corruption has become a societal ill
which has eaten deep into the fabric of the society and there is the
need for the EFCC to take complaints against corrupt practices serious.
He said he has severally complained to the EFCC about allegation of
corrupt practices against Oshiomhole without eliciting any response or
interest by the commission.
According to him, “On May 4, 2012, one Matthew Edaghese sent a
petition to the EFCC, complaining that while serving as governor,
Oshiomhole built mansions on a huge expanse of land worth more than N10
billion, in excess of the former governor’s legitimate means of income
as governor.
”That EFCC did nothing about the petition”, Bishop Ochei stated and
added that he had, in 2016 petitioned against Oshiomhole’s corrupt
practices without any action by the EFCC.
He accused the former governor of corruptly enriching himself with the fund of the Edo state government.
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