The Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Monday, November 19, 2012 asked Justice
Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja to strike out the application
by one Oyelakan Bayode seeking to be named as a party in the $15 million Ibori
bribe forfeiture hearings.
At the resumed
hearing of the case, counsel to EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, said Bayode has not
disclosed any interest other than merely saying he is a Nigerian citizen and a
beneficial owner of the said money. “My Lord, that is a mere assertion, he is
not even from Delta State but a refrigerator repairer from Lagos, residing
at Alagbado in Lagos state.
“ When a third party seeks to be
joined in a case, he needs to show that he is an interested party in the
subject matter, in this case my Lord, he has not done so.” Jacobs stated.
He averred
that when seen from the point of view of the order by Justice Kolawole asking
interested party to come and claim ownership of the fund, the intervener
applicant was merely asking to manage the fund.
The same point was echoed by Charles
Ajuyah , SAN, counsel to Delta State Government who told the court to dismiss
the application as the intervener‘s purpose was to manage the fund and not
claiming ownership. “That is not what the court is interested in, we
(Delta State) it is our own and we know how to manage it,”Ajuyah stated.
The case has been
adjourned to Friday, November 23, 2012 for ruling on the application.
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