EFCC Press Release
A former governor of Kogi State, Prince Abubakar Audu, who
is being prosecuted at a Federal Capital Territory High Court by the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission, for his alleged involvement in a contract scam
to the tune of eleven billion naira, today threw decorum to the dogs when he
ordered his security aide (a police officer) to assault an operative of the
EFCC, Haruna Ashade, for daring to take his photograph in court.
Ashade, a member of the EFCC team assigned to cover the
proceedings, was carrying out his lawful duties when Audu’s aide descended on him.
The sudden realisation that his image might have been captured by the cameraman,
incensed Prince Audu. Seething with rage, he demanded for the camera. When Ashade
refused to hand the equipment over to the accused person, Prince Audu called on
one of his aides, a police inspector, to forcefully collect the camera from
Ashade and delete his pictures from it.
A scuffle ensured which threw the court into confusion. Audu’s
aide rained blows on Ashade, in the attempt to snatch the camera from him. It
took the personal intervention of Justice Ademola Adeniyi who was about coming
out of his chambers to restore order.
Justice Adeniyi sent one of his assistants
and his orderly to restrain Prince Audu’s aide. He was said to have ordered the
release of the camera for it to be kept in the custody of the court until after
the sitting. Ashade obliged them.
However, to the dismay of officials
of the EFCC, when the camera was released, all the pictures taken in court had
been deleted!
When the case was finally called, the
prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, pleaded for a short adjournment for reasons
of non availability of his witnesses in court. He told the court that, he was
at the Court of Appeal till late yesterday, March 3, and was not aware that the
bank witnesses to be called are not available.
He informed the court that the prosecution will be bringing
new witnesses to testify.
Responding, counsel to the first accused, Patrick Ikwueto,
SAN, said that, if the prosecution has other witnesses not contained in the
proof of evidence, there is a need for defendants to be served with their
statement.
The case has been adjourned to Friday, March 6, 2015 for continuation
of trial.
Prince Audu is being prosecuted alongside a
former Director General of the Directorate of Rural Development in his
administration, Alfa Ibn Mustapha, for offences bordering on criminal breach of
trust and misappropriation of public funds to the tune of N10,965,837,040 (ten
billion, nine hundred and sixty five million, eight hundred and thirty seven
thousand and Forty Naira).
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
4th March, 2015
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