450m fraud: Court orders EFCC to produce Taraba APC guber candidate

The Federal High Court sitting in Jalingo on Wednesday ordered
the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to produce the
Governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Alh.
Sani Danladi in court on January 15, 2019.

Danladi, a former Acting Governor of Taraba, is facing a
two-count charge of conspiracy and violation of financial
regulations preferred against him and two others Sen. Joel Ikenya
and Mark Useni accused of collecting the sum of N450 million from
former president Jonathan to prosecute the 2015 election in the
state.

Justice Steven Pam gave the order after hearing arguments from
the prosecution and counsels to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd
defendants.

In his ruling, Justice Pam asked Prosecution Counsel Israel
Akande representing the EFCC to bring the 3rd defendant and the
governorship candidate of the APC, Alh. Sani Abubakar Danladi in
court on January 15, failure to which the court will discharge the
1st and 2nd accused persons.

“This court can only assume jurisdiction when the EFCC bring all
the accused persons before the court. The court hereby, reserve
ruling on the application challenging the jurisdiction of this
honourable court to entertain the case, pending the arraignment of
all the accused persons.

“The matter is now adjourned to the 15th January 2019 to enable
the prosecution Counsel produce the 3rd defendant in court,” he
ruled.

In an interview with journalists after the court sitting,
Counsel to the 1st defendant (Sen. Joel Ikenya), Barr. Festus
Idepefo said EFCC cannot hold his client Sen. Joel Ikenya to ransom
over their failure to produce the 3rd defendant in court.

Citing section 123, 124, 221 of the criminal Act, counsel to the
3rd defendant Yakubu Maikasuwa Esq urged the court to compel the
prosecution to bring the defendant in court, saying the court
cannot assume jurisdiction over his matter, if all the accused are
not brought before the court.

Newsmen report that Sen. Joel Ikenya and Mark Useni were in
court while, Sani Danladi was represented by his Counsel, Yakubu
Maikasuwa.

Meanwhile, outside the court, protesting youths barricaded the
gate of the court with placards demanding that the federal
government through the EFCC to stop shielding Sani Danladi and
allow him to face trial.

Leader of the protesters Mr. Christopher John said Sani Danladi
was not above the law and must appear before the court to face
trial.

Some of the placards read, ‘EFCC is a political party,’ ‘Court
save Taraba’, ‘Sani Must Face trial among others.

Recall that Danladi’s absent at the previous sitting stalled the
proceeding on the case and attracted wide spread condemnation and
allegations that the EFCC was deliberately shielding him from
facing trial.

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