ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Senator Ike Ekweremadu, the former Deputy Senate President has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), of being responsible for his continued detention in the United Kingdom, UK, over organ harvest saga.
Currently, Senator Ekweremadu is facing trial in the UK over an allegation that he brought one David Ukpo into the country for the purpose of harvesting his organ.
In a fresh process he filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja, the Senator lamented that he would have been released on bail, if not for a letter, he according to him was forwarded to the London Court by the EFCC.
Recall that though the London Metropolitan Police arrested both Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice over alleged organ harvesting.
However, the UK Court, in a ruling it delivered on 26 July, released his wife on bail, pending the determination of the case against them, but repeatedly rejected Ekweremadu’s plea for bail.
In the new process Senator Ekweremadu filed through his team of lawyers led by Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, he maintained that his travail in the UK was compounded by the anti-graft agency.
He also accused the EFCC of secretly moving to seize his properties, after it ensured his continued detention with its letter.
In an application, the detained lawmaker prayed the court to vacate the interim order it made on 4 November, which gave EFCC the nod to confiscate 40 of his properties.
Trial Justice Inyang Ekwo granted the interim forfeiture order on the strength of an ex-parte application that was brought before the court by the EFCC, Punch reports.
Attached to the ex-parte application marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1242/2022, was an affidavit of urgency that identified the properties as subject of an ongoing investigation.
The anti-graft agency told the court that the landed properties, 10 of which are situated at Enugu, three in the United States of America, USA, two in the United Kingdom, UK, one in Lagos, nine in Dubai, and 15 located in the Federal Capital Territory, are suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of crime.
While granting the interim forfeiture order, Justice Ekwo, ordered the EFCC to within the seven days, publish it in a national daily to enable anyone that has interest in any of the properties, to approach the court.
Ekweremadu who is determined to secure his properties, however, in his application, insisted that the forfeiture order was granted in error, alleging that the EFCC suppressed material facts relating to the properties.
The Senator told the court that the anti-graft agency fraudulently obtained the forfeiture order by concealing the information that the 40 properties have been subject of an investigation that started since 2008.
Ekweremadu argued that contrary to EFCC’s claim, there was no urgency to warrant the issuance of an order of interim forfeiture of the properties.
He stressed that the EFCC was aware that he was in detention in the UK, when it brought the application for the forfeiture of his properties, before the court.
He further accused the EFCC of deliberately refusing to disclose to the court that he was in detention and would not be able to counter the forfeiture request.
Therefore, he begged the court to set aside the forfeiture order and stay proceedings in the matter until he resolves his case before the London Court.
Punch reports that, the EFCC, through its lawyer, Mr Silvanus Tahir, SAN, denied the allegation that it was behind Ekweremadu’s ordeal in the UK.
Tahir, SAN, admitted that the agency wrote the Uk Court, based on a special request.
According to him, it was a normal routine for anti-graft agencies all over the world to exchange information that are mutually beneficial to them.
The EFCC however rejected Ekweremadu’s request for the interim forfeiture order to be vacated, though it was not opposed to his request for proceedings in the matter to be suspended until his return.
After he had listened to both parties, Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter till 25 January, 2023, for ruling.