Tompolo shuns order, fails to appear in court

A former Niger Delta militant warlord, Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, on Thursday shunned the order of the court by failing to appear before the judge.

This has however incurred the wrath of Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court, Lagos, who, Thursday, issued a bench warrant directing the police to arrest and produce in him court for failing to obey the order of the court to appear unconditionally today, Thursday.

The judge had ordered Tompolo to unconditionally appear today to answer a 40-count charge of alleged N13bn fraud leveled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

While other co-accused persons, including a former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Patrick Akpobolokemi, were present in court, only Tompolo failed to appear.

Akpobolokemi on his part arrived in court with the support of crutches. He was seen being assisted by his lawyers. It was not however clear if his situation has anything to do with his last appearance in court, after which he was rough handled, and bundled into a bus by some security operatives, outside the court premises, even after he had been granted bail by the court.

He’s facing charges of alleged stealing and conversion of money running into billions of Naira.

RipplesNigeria…. 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