A Federal High Court in Abuja has given a note of warning to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over the delay in the trial of the former governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha
The presiding judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo gave the warning following a complaint by EFCC Counsel, Mr Cosmas Ugwu, that all efforts made by the agency to effect service of court processes on Okorocha had been unsuccessful.
Okorocha, who is expected to be arraigned on a 17-count money laundering charge, is the current senator representing Imo West Senatorial District.
The lawmaker, who is the first defendant, is to be arraigned alongside Anyim Nyerere Chinenye, Naphtali International Limited, Perfect Finish Multi Projects Limited, Console Projects Consulting Limited, Pramif International Limited, and Legend World Concepts Limited.
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Justice Ekwo had, on February 22, adjourned the arraignment until March 28, after EFCC Counsel pleaded with the court over the agency’s inability to serve the senator.
But when the matter was called, he informed the court that the matter had been slated for the arraignment of the defendants.
He, however, said, “unfortunately the first defendant was yet to be served with the charge.”
The EFCC counsel said several efforts made to effect the service so that all the defendants could be charged together were unsuccessful.
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Reacting to the development, Justice Ekwo reminded EFCC that on February 22, when the case came up, he had given the same excuse.
Justice Ekwo said though he would grant Ugwu’s prayer for another adjournment, if he came up with the same excuse on the next adjourned date, the matter would be struck out.
The judge said the adjournment was to see how serious the commission was in prosecuting the matter.
He then adjourned the matter until May 30, for the defendants’ plea to be taken.
