Justice Buba granted Odili’s request for an injunction restraining
the EFCC from probing alleged corrupt practices during his tenure.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) might re-open the N100b fraud investigation involving a former Governor of Rivers state, Peter Odili.
According
to reports, Justice Ibrahim Buba granted Odili’s request for an
injunction restraining the EFCC from probing alleged corrupt practices
during his eight year tenure as Governor.
The
anti-graft agency had earlier expressed hope that the ex-Governor’s
case would be re-opened in 2015, because the Criminal Justice
Administration Act removed every hindrance to the prosecution of corrupt
officials.
Speaking
on the issue, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and
Financial Crimes, Senator Chukwuka Utazi, revealed that the lawmakers
will amend the EFCC Act.
According to Vanguard, Utazi said the Act, if amended, will empower the anti-graft agency to go after ex-Governor Odili.
The
Senator made this comment while responding to a plea by the South-South
coordinator of EFCC, Ishaq Salihu, asking the lawmakers to help him
re-open Odili’s case.
Salihu said “The
perpetual injunction of Odili is a problem for us. Because of that
injunction, it means we cannot invite anybody related to the case to
give any testimony.”
Responding,
Utazi said “The House of Representatives has done its bit on the
amendment of EFCC Act. It has come to us. The amendments effected in the
House of Representatives were not exhaustive. We are going to look into
this (issuance of perpetual injunction) issue with a view to correcting
it.
“Nobody should stop an
organ of government from performing its duties. We want to empower them
(EFCC) to work. They cannot work with one hand tied to the back.
‘’We are going to ensure that everything is done in accordance with the rule of law. Nobody should be shortchanged.”Dr. Peter Odili was the Governor of oil rich Rivers state from May 29, 1999 to May 29, 2007.
No comments:
Post a Comment