Okorocha To Remain In EFCC Custody Till May 30

On that date, Okorocha, a presidential candidate for the governing All Progressives Congress (APC), would be charged before a Federal High Court in Abuja.

Remember that he was apprehended by EFCC investigators in his Abuja apartment yesterday following a nine-hour siege.

On Wednesday, sources in the EFCC’s legal department informed DAILY POST that Okorocha was detained as a proactive move to force him to appear in court after his repeated refusal to enter a plea in the money laundering case.

On Monday, March 28, Justice Inyang Eden Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja threatened to dismiss Okorocha’s N2.9 billion money laundering accusations if the Federal Government failed to make him appear in court again.

After the Federal Government failed to serve charges on Okorocha as required by law, the judge threatened to dismiss the accusations.

The Federal Government told Justice Ekwo on March 28 for the second time, through its counsel, Mr Cosmos Ugwu, that he had not been able to visit Okorocha and serve him with the allegations.

The counsel had told the court that Okorocha had also been dodging service, but that he would make attempts and continue to make efforts till the former Imo State Governor was served with the court documents.

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He then sought a new delay to allow the EFCC to do all possible to serve the court papers in accordance with the law.

His justification for not being able to contact Okorocha did not sit well with the Judge, who reminded him that the identical scenario was told on February 22 when Okorocha was supposed to enter his plea.

Justice Ekwo had stated plainly that he would not accept flimsy justifications from the EFCC and would not assist it in carrying out its mandate.

The court reluctantly approved the request for a second delay, warning the EFCC that if it did not show seriousness, the case would be dismissed.

The EFCC was obliged to use force against Okorocha, according to sources at the Federal High Court, since he reportedly refused to accept the invitation made to him twice to appear at the Commission’s office in Abuja only for the purpose of delivering him the charges.

“The EFCC is a respectable agency that would not take laws into its own hands, but suspects, particularly those in high positions, should always endeavor to obey the law and due process as much as possible so that the law can protect them.”

“Because an arrest in court is not a death sentence, no one should take it for granted.” As in the case of Senator Okorocha, suspects in Nigeria now may only flee, not hide,” he stated.

Nobody would be able to bail the Senator out until after his arraignment in court on Monday, according to the source, who did not want his name used.

On behalf of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, A.O Ikota signed the Federal Government’s accusations against Okorocha on January 24, 2022.

In the N2.9 billion money laundering criminal allegations, Okorocha, who is presently a Senator representing Imo West in the National Assembly, will stand trial with six others.

The Senator is facing 17 counts of illicit diversion of public funds and properties, according to the federal government.