Tuesday, November 27, 2012

N600, 000 bribe: EFCC re-arraigns Hembe, Azubuogu



The last has not been heard of the corruption charges preferred against the embattled suspended chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Capital Market, Mr.  Herman Hembe and his Deputy, Mr. Azubuogu Ifeanyi.

They were charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC).  over the N600,000 bribe they both allegedly collected from the Ms Arumma Oteh-led Security and Exchange Commission (SEC).   The anti-graft agency yesterday, re-arraigned them before Justice Peter Kekemeke of the High Court of Federal Capital Territory, (FCT).

The case was transferred  from Justice Abubakar Sadiq Umar's court to Kekemeke's, following a petition by the EFCC alleging bias on the part of the former trial judge.
The anti-graft agency had expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that the accused lawmakers were allowed to stand by the side of the dock, against its application for them to be in the dock throughout the trial period.

But sources within the commission said that the transfer was an admission that the case was baseless and liable to be dismissed.

Following the allegation of bias against Justice Umar, the Chief Judge, CJ, of the FCT Judiciary, Justice Lawal H. Gummi reassigned the matter, for fresh trial.

When the matter was mentioned yesterday, Prosecuting Counsel, Onjefu Obe, made an oral application for the accused persons to take a fresh plea, in line with the Criminal Procedure Code, CPC.

Though, counsel to the accused persons, Jibrin Okutepa (SAN) and Emeka Etiaba, did not object to the prosecution's prayer, they, nonetheless, urged the court to allow the accused to remain on the bail terms earlier granted by Justice Umar, moreso that they have kept faith with the stipulated conditions, one of which is to attend trial proceedings.

Okutepa, counsel to Hembe, also protested  what he considered an attempt by the EFCC to "intimidate and ridicule the Nigerian judiciary."

Describing the commission's request to have the case transferred Okutepa said, "My Lord, I owe a duty to the court to  protest why we are here, because the circumstances under which the Prosecutor caused the case to leave your learned brother is worrisome to us.

Before your learned brother, we had taken five witnesses and the prosecution closed its case, and we filed a no case submission and prosecution took a date to reply, only for the Director of Legal Services, Chile Okoroma,  to get up before your Learned brother and accuse  him of  applying double standards.

"Thereafter, a lot of water has passed under the bridge,” he added.

Counsel to the second accused, Etiaba aligned himself with the above submission, adding that his client, who had unsuccessfully challenged the jurisdiction of the first court, was not prepared to do so again, in order to allow for an accelerated hearing of the matter.
Both prosecuting and defence counsel agreed for an accelerated trial, as court adjourned till January 23rd and 24th for trial.

EFCC, is prosecuting Hembe and Azubuogu on a two-count charge of abusing their privileges as chairman and deputy chairman respectively, when they allegedly converted into personal use the sum of about N600,000 being money allegedly released by the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, for them to travel to the Dominican Republic for a refresher conference in October, 2011.
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