EFCC forcing me to implicate Jonathan, ex-president’s cousin cries out

Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s cousin, Azibaola Robert, has asked the Federal High Court in Lagos to order his release from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Robert is also praying the court to hold that EFCC’s alleged attempt to force him to implicate Jonathan is contrary to section 7 of the ACJA, which he said has outlawed the practice of arresting a citizen in lieu of another.

Robert, a lawyer and environmental activist, is being held over alleged financial crimes.

EFCC said it is investigating alleged payment of $40 million to Robert in September 2014 by former National Security Adviser Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd) for supplying “tactical communication kits”.

The commission said he received another N650 million from Dasuki on December 8, 2014.

Robert sued the EFCC, Attorney-General of the Federation and the Federal Government over his continued detention.

His lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, who filed the suit yesterday, said his client honored an invitation to EFCC’s Abuja office on March 23 and has been detained since then.

Robert is praying the court to stop the Federal Government from applying for a new remand warrant against him from any court because it is a ploy to keep him in custody indefinitely.

He is asking the court to hold that sections 293 and 294 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, which the EFCC is relying on to secure remand orders from Magistrate Courts, were for capital offences such as murder, armed robbery, kidnapping or treasonable felony for which a legal advice from the Attorney-General is required before a charge is filed. He said the sections do not apply to financial crimes.

Robert is also praying the court to hold that EFCC’s alleged attempt to force him to implicate Jonathan is contrary to section 7 of the ACJA, which he said has outlawed the practice of arresting a citizen in lieu of another.

Read also: EFCC grills Jonathan’s cousin over $40m ‘militants’ money’

The applicant said the Federal Government engaged him to meet with stakeholders in the Niger Delta to explore how to prevent oil pipelines vandalism, oil bunkering and crude oil theft, among others.

According to him, the assignment was duly executed upon payment, adding that under Section 8 of the ACJA, he should not be arrested or prosecuted for a civil contract or transaction.

Robert said he is being persecuted on account of his blood relationship with Jonathan.

He alleged there was a plot to keep transferring him from one state to another to continue renewing the remand orders so as to keep him in custody in perpetuity.

The case is yet to be assigned to a judge.

 

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