Nigeria’s Anti-graft Agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has disowned a police lawyer, Ibrahim Mohammed who filed a criminal charge against the former Minister of Aviation, Senator Stella Oduah.
The anti-graft agency on Tuesday told the Federal High Court in Abuja that Mohammed, a Superintendent of Police was not mandated or authorized to file any criminal charge against Mrs. Oduah who recently represented Anambra North in the Senate.
EFCC’S counsel, Helen Okonofua informed Justice James Omotoso that the Police lawyer who claimed to have come from the Legal Department of the Force Headquarters was also not authorized by the anti-graft agency to represent it to prosecute Mrs Oduah in any criminal matter.
The counsel stated that Mohammed was initially with EFCC but was de-seconded from EFCC back to the Police on November 4, 2022, and had since had nothing to do with the EFCC.
She also told the Court that the criminal charge filed on June 22, 2023, by the Police lawyer in the name of EFCC has no authority or approval of the agency.
The counsel informed Justice Omotoso that, the Police lawyer had been investigated by EFCC as ordered by the Judge and that the report of the findings would be filed at the Registry of the Court and be made available to the court thereafter.
In a short ruling, Justice Omotoso fixed October 4, 2023, for the EFCC to formally make the report of the findings available to the court.
Justice Omotoso had on Tuesday, July 11 handed the police lawyer over to EFCC for filing frivolous criminal charges against the former Minister in the name of EFCC.
The Judge who noticed some flaws in the charges, had queried the police lawyer on whether he had the authority of EFCC to file the charges which he answered negatively.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
