Court fixes March 31 for hearing of Sanusi’s suit

A Federal High Court on Friday in Lagos fixed March 31 for the hearing of a fundamental rights suit filed by the suspended Central Bank Governor, Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

Sanusi had filed the suit through his counsel, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo (SAN), seeking an order restraining the police and the State Security Service from arresting, detaining or harassing him.

Joined in the suit are the Attorney General of the Federation, Inspector General of Police and the SSS as first, second and third respondents respectively.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the applicant’s motion was scheduled for hearing on Friday.

Counsel to the first respondent, Dr Fabian Ajogu (SAN), informed the court that he had a motion on notice dated March 19.

He said the motion was for extension of time to regularise filing processes.

Counsel to the third respondent, Mr Ahmed Musa, also made the same application, saying his motion was dated March 17.

However, counsel to the applicant, Chief Kola Awodehin (SAN), did not oppose the application for extension of time.

Awodehin, who said was prepared to proceed with his motion, noted that he was constrained to ask for an adjournment by the nature of applications filed by the first and third respondents.

Consequently, Justice Ibrahim Buba adjourned the suit to March 31 for hearing of the applicant’s suit on the understanding that all parties would have regularised all processes before the next adjournment.

“The respondents’ motion for extension of time is granted and time is hereby extended in terms of the prayers on the face of the motion paper.

“This suit is therefore adjourned to March 31 for hearing,” he ruled.

NAN also reports that the court had on Feb. 21 granted an interim order restraining the respondents from arresting, detaining, or harassing the applicant pending the determination of the motion on notice.

The interim order was sequel to an affidavit of urgency filed by the applicant on the same date.

The court had also granted the applicant leave to serve the originating summons and other accompanying court processes on the respondents.

Fani-Kayode: No fund missing, says EFCC witness

An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) witness has told a Federal High Court in Lagos that the commission’s investigation revealed no fund was missing during the tenure of Femi Fani-Kayode as Aviation Minister.

Bashir Abdullahi, who was the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) spoke under cross examination by defence lawyer Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN).

He told Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia that he was assigned the case file in 2008 for investigation and a letter was written to the First Inland Bank to produce Fani-Kayode’s bank statement which was deposited with the EFCC.

The witness said that during investigations, the former minister was invited to the EFCC, where he made various statements in writing relating to the Aviation Intervention Fund (AIF) received during his tenure.

He said that Fani-Kayode on assumption of office set up a committee to probe the disbursement of the AIF made by his predecessor.

He told the court that investigations revealed that no part of the funds was missing during the tenure of the former minister.

“Our investigations revealed that a total of N19.5 billion was released as Aviation Intervention Fund, out of which a total of N8.5 billion was released during the tenure of Prof. Femi Aborishade, the predecessor.

“During the tenure of the accused, the sum of N11 billion was released and out of this sum, the accused disbursed a total of N3.8 billion, leaving a remainder of N7.2 billion in the Ministry’s account.

“Investigations also revealed that no part of the Aviation fund was missing during the tenure of the accused, and there was also no findings that the accused made any disbursement without due process”, said Abdullahi.

Following the findings of the committee, the witness said a report was sent to the National Security Adviser (NSA) on the disbursements.

However, prosecuting lawyer Festus Keyamo did not re-examine the witness but prayed the court for two adjournments to enable him produce his remaining witnesses.

Subsequently, Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia adjourned the case to April 16 and 17 for continuation of trial.

Fani-Kayode is standing trial over a 40-count charge of money laundering preferred against him by the EFCC, to which he has pleaded not guilty.

He was alleged to have transacted with funds exceeding the threshold stipulated by the Money Laundering Act, without going through a Financial Institution.

The EFCC alleged that the former minister accepted cash payments in the tune of about N100 million, while he held sway as Minister of Aviation and Minister of Culture and Tourism respectively.

NGIGE TENDERS DOCUMENTS AT TRIBUNAL

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in last year’s election in Anambra State, Senator Chris Ngige, has completed the submission of forms EC8As in the 21 local governments and voter registers at the Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Awka.

The documents were tendered yesterday by Ngige’s lead counsel Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu and Chief Emeka Ngige.

Other documents tendered were forms EC8B, which were the summary of ward results from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Also tendered were forms EC8D, the summary of result in the councils, which INEC failed to release initially, even with a court order of January 4, 2010.

Others were forms EC8E, declaration of results and oaths of neutrality forms across the councils.

Forms EC40A, EC40b, EC40c, EC25A, EC25b and the list of INEC ad hoc workers used in the November 16 election were also tendered.

But counsel to Chief Willie Obiano and INEC, Ken Mozie and Osita Nnadi opposed the submission of certified true copies (CTCs) of newspaper reports of the poll.

They argued it was outside the documents to be tendered, saying those agreed upon were INEC documents.

But Akeredolu read out a paragraph of the pre-trial report by the tribunal, which said CTCs of every document could be tendered.

Tribunal Chairman Justice Ishaq Bello, however, ruled that the documents should be tendered.