Former Aviation Minister, Senator Stella Oduah, has denied knowledge of any fresh criminal charges brought against her by the police in the name of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The Senator, who represented Anambra North in the Senate, insisted that she has not been served with the purported charge.
She maintained that she was never subjected to any kind of investigation by the Nigeria Police Force or any other security agency in regard to any fresh case.
Addressing a press conference, the Senator, through his counsel, Chief James Ogwu Onoja, maintained that the charges have no proof of evidence bearing Mrs Oduah’s statement as required by law, while no single witness from the NYSC was listed.
Besides, Onoja claimed that the two Police lawyers responsible for the filing of the charges did so without affixing their practicing seals while the address where the purported charge emanated indicated EFCC’s office at number 1, Court Road, Benin City, Edo State.
He claimed that it could not yet be ascertained whether the police or the EFCC was behind the charge.
He further explained that EFCC does not have the powers to prosecute any offence under the Penal Code, adding that the charge does not allege any offence under the EFCC’s Act but a Criminal Code.
He further revealed that his team had been to EFCC’s headquarters for investigation on the faceless charges and that the EFCC denied knowledge of the charge.
“The spurious allegations against our clients of not participating in NYSC have been dismissed by the Supreme Court in her favour. This country has had enough” he said, while charging that prosecutorial authorities should not be available to political hirelings, adding that the fresh charge against his client is a violation of the Code of Conduct for prosecutors as issued by the Federal Ministry of Justice and punishable under Article 7, part B of the Code.
He, therefore, thanked Justice James Omotosho for ordering the immediate arrest of the lawyer that issued the charge and appeared for prosecution, noting that, the action of the judge is a confirmation that the court was not comfortable with all anomalies contained on the face of the charge.
He then vowed to issue a petition to the Inspector General of Police for investigation and to call to order those bringing the image of the police to disrepute while another petition would be forwarded to EFCC to investigate impersonation and abuse of its prosecutorial powers.
Similarly, Onoja further vowed to report the matter of filing documents contrary to practice direction on fixing of seals of legal practitioners to the Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court, adding that upon identifying the lawyers involved, they would be dragged before Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee in addition to facing court action for malicious prosecution of Mrs Oduah.
“This is a new political dispensation which has promised adherence to the Rule of Law and accountability, we need a breath of fresh air”, the senior lawyer said.
