Ibori: EFCC Proceeds to Appeal Court Monday – Thisday
December 19, 2009 by tim
In furtherance of its resolve to prosecute the former governor of Delta State, James Ibori and others for alleged corrupt practices and money laundering, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is preparing to file a notice of appeal at the Court of Appeal on Monday, December 21.
A Federal High court sitting in Asaba, Thursday, dismissed a 170-count charge preferred against the former governor and others for lack of evidence.
The judge, Justice Marcel Awokulehin, in his ruling held that the “prosecution failed to show critical collaborative evidence against the defendants and therefore failed to establish a prima facie case in any of the 170 charges.”
But in a statement issued by its spokesman, Femi Babafemi, the EFCC yesterday restated its commitment to its position on Thursday in which it said that the judgment of the Federal High Court is bound to fail on appeal at a higher court.
The commission said: “Our lawyers had the instruction of the EFCC chairman, Mrs. Farida Waziri soon after the ruling was delivered on Thursday, December 17, to obtain a Certified True Copy of the judgment.
“It will interest the public that our lawyers applied for the CTC before leaving the court room to enable us file an appeal today (yesterday), Friday, December 18.
“Surprisingly, our lawyer was denied a copy of the same judgment the judge claimed in the open court was ready several weeks ago.”
