Connect with us

Metro

Extradition battle: Ex mint boss wins 1, loses 1

Published

on

The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, on Friday granted the plea of a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, Emmanuel Okoyomon, for stay of execution on the order to extradite him to Britain to face criminal charges.
The court however turned down his bail application.
The U.K. government wants him over his alleged role in the bribery allegation involving officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, and Securency International Pty of Australia between 2006 and 2008.
The U.K. government had, through the office of Attorney General of the Federation, requested Mr. Okoyomon to be extradited to face charges of corruption and money laundering
In a bid to stall his extradition, the former Mint boss had, in October 2014, through his counsel, Alex Iziyon, SAN, challenged the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the application to extradite him.
Mr. Iziyon argued that there is no extradition treaty between Nigeria and the United Kingdom .
He further argued that the London Scheme for extradition within the Commonwealth 2002 does not apply in Nigeria .
However, M. S Hassan, who represented the Attorney General of the Federation, countered Mr. Izinyon’s submission.
Mr. Hassan argued that the 1931 treaty became applicable to Nigeria in 1935 and was never repealed by any enactment.
Ruling on the matter on May 4, 2015, Justice E. S Chukwu of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, ordered Mr. Okoyomon to be extradited to the UK within 30 days from the date of the ruling to face trial, while being remanded in prison custody pending his extradition.
Dissatisfied by the ruling, Mr. Okoyomon, through his counsel, Mr. Izinyon, approached the Court of Appeal seeking a stay of execution of the order of the lower court.
The appellate court, in its ruling on applications Friday, refused his bail, while granting a stay of execution on his extradition pending the determination of the appeal before it.

Ripples… without borders, without fears

Join the conversation

Opinions

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.

Donate Now