A top management official of the anti-graft commission, told The Guardian on Tuesday that the EFCC might soon re-file the case before the court. The official, who did not want his name in print, said the EFCC was incapacitated to pursue the case because it had no power to compel the accused persons to appear in court to take their pleas.
According to him, since the case was already in court, it was the responsibility of the court to compel the accused persons to appear in court to take their pleas. The EFCC source added that the court had also not considered the commission's application for a bench warrant to compel the accused to appear in court.
Further explaining why the EFCC could not pursue the case, he said, "the Prosecution filed an application before the court for a bench warrant to compel the accused persons to appear before the court but his Lordship in his wisdom, did not consider the application even though counsel to the accused were in court.
THE anti-graft agency may this week move to seize property of 31 other accused persons standing trial alongside former Director of Pension Administration in the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Sani Teidi Shuaibu, over the N4.56 billion pensions fraud.
The development is coming as the Commission summoned the Commissioner for Finance in Ondo State, Mr. Yele Ogundipe, to appear before it in connection with the alleged N100 billion fraud allegation for which the Chairman of the Ondo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (OSOPADEC), Mr. Debo Ajimuda, was recently arrested and interrogated.
The Commissioner, according to an EFCC source, was summoned along with three others. They are the Secretary and Accountant to OSOPADEC as well as Deputy Director for Accounts at the state Ministry of Works.
OSOPADEC Chairman, Ajimuda was arrested on Tuesday, March 20, over alleged criminal diversion and embezzlement of project funds.
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