Proceedings
in the planned arraignment of Dr. Angela Uwakwem, Emmanuel Ajayi and his company
Swiss Biostadt Limited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC,
began on a controversial note Tuesday November 15, 2016, as Justice Florence
Duruoha Igwe of the Imo State High court Owerri granted the accused persons
bail without first taking their plea.
Her
lordship upheld the arguments of the defense counsel, Chukwuma Ekomaru (SAN),
that the accused persons cannot take their plea until the application
challenging the jurisdiction of the court is determined.
Prosecuting
counsel, Mainforce A. Ekwu had argued that the correct position of the law was
that the plea of the accused persons be taken before the application for bail
can be considered, and only then can the objection to quash the charge for lack
of jurisdiction be heard.
But
Justice Igwe ruled in favour of the accused. “I am minded to consider the
application challenging the jurisdiction of the court before taking the plea of
the accused persons, and will also take the accused motion for bail before
their arraignment and plea,” the Judge said.
In
view of the ruling, Ekomaru (SAN), and Ugeh S. Ogidi counsel for the first and
second accused respectively, moved their motions for bail for the accused persons.
The
court granted the accused persons bail, and ruled that each of the accused
produce one surety each, with landed property in Owerri and evidence of two
years tax clearance, and must each enter a bond of N1,000,000.00(One Million
Naira only).
Justice
Igwe then adjourned to January 24, 2017, to consider the motion challenging the
jurisdiction of the court.
Uwakwem
is in court for awarding several inflated contracts, to a company called Swiss
Biostatd Limited, belonging to the second accused Mr. Emmanuel Ajayi.
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