Saraki Is Blocking Us From Probing Him, EFCC Tells Court

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on
Wednesday, told a Federal High Court, Abuja, that the action of the
former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has been hindering the
agency from probing him.

EFCC Counsel, Chile Okoronkwo, made this known to Justice Anwuli
Chikere when the fundamental rights enforcement suits filed by the
immediate-past Senate president were mentioned in the court.

The EFCC had, in 2019, said it would probe Saraki’s earnings
between 2003 and 2011 when he was governor of Kwara.

The commission was reported to have seized some of his houses in
the Ikoyi area of Lagos then.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), however, reports that Saraki,
on May 10, 2019, filed two separate suits marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/507/19
and FHC/ABJ/CS/508/19 respectively before Justice Taiwo Taiwo to
challenge the action of the EFCC.

Justice Taiwo, who was the presiding judge, ruled on an ex parte
application filed along with the substantive suits and ordered the
anti-corruption agency (4th respondent) and the other five
respondents to the suits to stay action on the probe pending the
hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed by the
applicant.

The order was granted after Sunday Onubi, Saraki’s lawyer, moved
the application, on May 14, 2019.

Others in the two suits are the Attorney General of the
Federation (AGF), Inspector-General of Police (IGP), State Security
Service (SSS), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related
Offences Commission (ICPC) and Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) as 1st,
2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th respondents respectively.

The court had directed the parties to maintain the status quo by
suspending the probe.

“By the provision of Order 4(3) of the Fundamental Rights Civil
Procedure Rules, 2009, the court may, if satisfied that the
applicant may be caused hardship before the service of an
application where liberty or life of the applicant is involved hear
the application ex parte upon such interim reliefs as the justice
of the application may demand.

“There is no doubt that in making the interim reliefs or orders,
the court is guided even in its exercise of its discretion
judicially and judiciously applied by the law and statutes.

“I am of the view, after due consideration of the aforesaid,
that this court ought to make the order being sought by the
applicant pending the hearing and determination of the originating
motion on notice,” Taiwo had ruled.

But the EFCC later applied that the judge should recuse himself
and the matter be transferred to another court.

Justice Taiwo sent back the case file to the chief judge and the
matter was reassigned to Justice Chikere for adjudication.

When the matter was called on Wednesday, Counsel to the
ex-senate president, Sunday Onubi, told the court that the matter
was slated for mention.

However, the EFCC’s Lawyer, Okoronkwo, informed the court that
he had an application to make.

The lawyer briefed the court that on May 14, 2019, a sister
court, presided over by Justice Taiwo, made an order “directing all
respondents to stay off action in connection with the subject
matter of the suit pending the hearing and determination of the
substantive suit.”

He said though there was no doubt that the order was made by the
court, “it has hindered the 4th respondent from performing its duty
for about two years now.”

Okoronkwo, who stated that Saraki continued to hinge on the
order of the court any time he is invited, urged the court to
vacate the order.

Chikere, noting that the court vacation was around the corner,
adjourned the matter until Oct. 7 for hearing.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on
Wednesday, told a Federal High Court, Abuja, that the action of the
former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has been hindering the
agency from probing him.

EFCC Counsel, Chile Okoronkwo, made this known to Justice Anwuli
Chikere when the fundamental rights enforcement suits filed by the
immediate-past Senate president were mentioned in the court.

The EFCC had, in 2019, said it would probe Saraki’s earnings
between 2003 and 2011 when he was governor of Kwara.

The commission was reported to have seized some of his houses in
the Ikoyi area of Lagos then.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), however, reports that Saraki,
on May 10, 2019, filed two separate suits marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/507/19
and FHC/ABJ/CS/508/19 respectively before Justice Taiwo Taiwo to
challenge the action of the EFCC.

Justice Taiwo, who was the presiding judge, ruled on an ex parte
application filed along with the substantive suits and ordered the
anti-corruption agency (4th respondent) and the other five
respondents to the suits to stay action on the probe pending the
hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed by the
applicant.

The order was granted after Sunday Onubi, Saraki’s lawyer, moved
the application, on May 14, 2019.

Others in the two suits are the Attorney General of the
Federation (AGF), Inspector-General of Police (IGP), State Security
Service (SSS), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related
Offences Commission (ICPC) and Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) as 1st,
2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th respondents respectively.

The court had directed the parties to maintain the status quo by
suspending the probe.

“By the provision of Order 4(3) of the Fundamental Rights Civil
Procedure Rules, 2009, the court may, if satisfied that the
applicant may be caused hardship before the service of an
application where liberty or life of the applicant is involved hear
the application ex parte upon such interim reliefs as the justice
of the application may demand.

“There is no doubt that in making the interim reliefs or orders,
the court is guided even in its exercise of its discretion
judicially and judiciously applied by the law and statutes.

“I am of the view, after due consideration of the aforesaid,
that this court ought to make the order being sought by the
applicant pending the hearing and determination of the originating
motion on notice,” Taiwo had ruled.

But the EFCC later applied that the judge should recuse himself
and the matter be transferred to another court.

Justice Taiwo sent back the case file to the chief judge and the
matter was reassigned to Justice Chikere for adjudication.

When the matter was called on Wednesday, Counsel to the
ex-senate president, Sunday Onubi, told the court that the matter
was slated for mention.

However, the EFCC’s Lawyer, Okoronkwo, informed the court that
he had an application to make.

The lawyer briefed the court that on May 14, 2019, a sister
court, presided over by Justice Taiwo, made an order “directing all
respondents to stay off action in connection with the subject
matter of the suit pending the hearing and determination of the
substantive suit.”

He said though there was no doubt that the order was made by the
court, “it has hindered the 4th respondent from performing its duty
for about two years now.”

Okoronkwo, who stated that Saraki continued to hinge on the
order of the court any time he is invited, urged the court to
vacate the order.

Chikere, noting that the court vacation was around the corner,
adjourned the matter until Oct. 7 for hearing.