The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) today (Monday) informed Justice Muslim Sule Hassan of a Federal High Court sitting at Ikoyi, Lagos State, Nigeria, that the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Paul Usoro (SAN) has been evading service of the N1.4bn fraud charge instituted against him by the Commission.
This position was made known at the planned arraignment of Usoro by counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo who insisted before the court that all effort to effect service of the charge on the NBA boss has not been fruitful.
Meanwhile, Usoro argued through his counsel, Wole Olanipekun (SAN) that he had appeared on his own before the court and since he is around, the said service should be effected on him personally in the court room.
But the Oyedepo insisted that he was not in the position to effect the said service in court since amongst other reasons, the charge is with the Commission’s Investigative Officer in Abuja.
Justice Hassan thereafter adjourned until December 18, 2018 for arraignment.
The judge equally ordered the Commission to effect service of the charge on Usoro.
It would be recalled that the Commission had planned to arraign Usoro over allegation of fraud to the tune of N1.4bn owned by the Akwa Ibom State government.
Also expected to be arraigned alongside Usoro on a ten count charge that has to do with the alleged offence is the state’s Commissioner for Finance, Nsikan Nkan, the Accountant General of the state, Mfon Udomah, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of the state, Uwemedimo Nwoko, and one Margaret Ukpe, all of whom were said to be at large.
In the charge designated FHC/418c/18, and filed last Wednesday, Usoro was accused of diverting the said sum into personal use.
Specifically, the anti-graft agency insisted that Usoro converted and laundered the money in connivance with the state governor, Udom Emmanuel.
However, governor Emmanuel was not listed as a defendant in the charge on the reason that he is “currently constitutionally immuned against criminal prosecution.”
According to the Commission, the NBA boss whilst conniving with the other mentioned defendants conspired among themselves to commit the alleged offence sometime in 2015 “within the jurisdiction of this honourable court”.
The EFCC lawyer, Oyedepo who signed the charge argued that the alleged offence committed by the NBA President is contrary to Section 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.
Oyedepo further suggested that Usoro is liable to be punished under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
