Politics
ALLEGED N10M FRAUD: EFCC arraigns former Enugu Chief Judge
Enugu State former Chief Judge, Innocent Umezuluike, was on Friday arraigned before Enugu High Court over alleged reception of N10 million in donations from a litigant in a pending and concluded civil matter he presided over.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned him before Justice Anthony Onovo on a one-count charge of using his office to confer corrupt and unfair advantage.
The N10 million donations, EFCC said was made by Arthur Eze, the Chief Executive Officer of Oranto Petroleum Ltd in February 2014 at the launch of Mr. Umezuluike’s book titled, ‘ABC of Contemporary Land Law in Nigeria’.
According to the EFCC, the said money was drawn from the account of Oranto Petroleum Ltd and paid into Mr. Umezuluike’s Zenith Bank Account.
Arguing the matter in court, EFCC lawyer, Wahab Shittu, said that the action is contrary to Section 19 of the Independent and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act (Laws of the Federation) 2000.
Umezuluike pleaded not guilty after the one-count charge was read out to him.
Read also: Ex-Jigawa gov, Turaki, gets bail, to report in EFCC office every 2 weeks
Subsequently, counsel to the defendant, Agu Gab-Agu, prayed the court to grant the former CJ bail on self-recognizance and to address him as “Honourable Justice”.
Gab-Agu further told the court that the erstwhile CJ was granted bail on self-recognizance in a similar case pending before the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt.
He was however granted bail by Justice Onovo in the sum of N1 million who also ordered that he be addressed as Justice Umezuluike during the trial.
The matter was then adjourned till October 26-27, and November 2-3, 2017, for the substantive hearing.
By Ebere Ndukwu …
RipplesNigeria ….without borders, without fears
Click here to download the Ripples Nigeria App for latest updates
Join the conversation
Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism
Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.
As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.
If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.
Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.
INVESTIGATION: In Kwara, multimillion-naira milk processing plant is abandoned, converted to a chicken outlet
After the government spent millions of naira to establish a milk processing plant in Kwara State that would provided jobs...
SPECIAL REPORT: For Sokoto communities, promise of healthcare is akin to death sentence
In this story, ABDULRASHEED HAMMAD delves into the dire realities of Primary Health Care services in Sokoto State, shedding light...
ICYMI…SPECIAL REPORT: NNPCL hides behind PIA to frustrate disclosure, accountability
Nigeria’s major oil company, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), in what appears to be a common practice of disregard...
INVESTIGATION: Multi-million naira Ekiti resort center remains uncompleted a decade after
The multimillion-naira project, expected to comprise recreational buildings, now consists of cassava farmland, a bush used for excretion, and a...
SPECIAL REPORT: Torturous experiences of students with disabilities in Oyo tertiary institutions
For students with disabilities in Oyo state-owned tertiary institutions, learning is a torturous and distressing experience, considering the building structures...