Posted by By ADESINA AIYEKOTI on
Embattled former Enugu State governor and serving senator, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, who was arrested on Monday evening by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), may be arraigned in the Federal High Court, in Lagos.
Embattled former Enugu State governor and serving senator, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, who was arrested on Monday evening by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), may be arraigned in the Federal High Court, in Lagos.
This is coming on the heels of his return to the National Hospital, Abuja, where he was receiving treatment before his arrest.
Nnamani, who had been on admission at the National Hospital, had gone to the EFCC office on Monday evening to find out why he was declared wanted when operatives of the anti-graft commission knew his whereabouts. He was promptly arrested and taken away.
According to a case filed against Nnamani at the Federal High Court, Lagos, he and eight others would face a 30-count charge. Those to be charged along him are Sunday Onyekozuru Anyaogu, Sylvia Onwubuemeh, Rainbownet Nigeria Limited, Hillgate Nigeria Limited, Cosmo FM, Capital City Automobile (Niger) Limited, Renaissance University Teaching Hospital and Mea Mater Elizabeth High School.
The charge before Justice Mohammed Shuaib said the accused persons allegedly conspired to launder funds belonging to Enugu State government to the tune of N5 billion. They were alleged to have transferred money on or before March 15, 2007 to some accounts in the United States.
Daily Sun gathered that after the former governor has completed his treatment in the hospital, the EFCC would fly him to Lagos, where he would be arraigned in court. Although it could not be confirmed why EFCC wants to arraign Nnamani in Lagos instead of Abuja, where three other former governors are facing trial, sources say it may not be unconnected with the fact that former Enugu commissioners and other aides are facing trial in Lagos.
Daily Sun learnt that since the court in Lagos has refused to grant bail to former Enugu State commissioners since their arrest many months ago, the EFCC may want to subject Nnamani to similar fate.
However, before the EFCC returned Nnamani to the National Hospital, Abuja, on Monday night, many hours after he was arrested, he was taken to the commission's detention camp in Karu area of the Federal Capital.
It was gathered that Nnamani had complained to the EFCC operatives that he had not completed his treatment at the hospital and needed to take his medication. He was initially ignored but later taken back to the hospital, perhaps, when the EFCC operatives realized the implication of denying him medical attention.
On Tuesday, operatives of the EFCC, who are standing guard at Nnamani's ward in the hospital, restricted his movement and interaction with people. The senator's phones were also taken from him and switched off. His security officer was also arrested for an undisclosed reason.
Intimidation by EFCC
Daily Sun gathered that before Nnamani's arrest on Monday, operatives of the EFCC had stormed his ward at the National Hospital for three days to intimidate him. It was gathered that the EFCC operatives visited the hospital on Saturday, Sunday and Monday morning. On each occasion, the armed EFCC personnel only hovered around the ward and left.
When the former governor was declared wanted by the EFCC on Monday afternoon, few hours after the commission's operatives had visited the hospital, Nnamani was surprised. He was said to have called the officer in charge of his case at EFCC, who denied the report, promising to confirm it and get back to him.
When the confirmation did not come, Nnamani decided to visit the EFCC himself to ascertain the situation. He was subsequently arrested and taken away.
Seized passport
Prior to his admission at the National Hospital and subsequent arrest, Nnamani had asked the EFCC to return his seized International passport. It was gathered that he was asked to apply to the EFCC chairman, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, for the release of the document. The former governor did and was told that approval had been given.
However, when he went to collect the passport, EFCC operatives started tossing him around. Each day he was asked to come for the passport, an excuse was given and he was always asked to come back another day.
On Monday, when he visited the EFCC office, Nnamani was said to have also asked for his passport. He was asked to wait for it only for him to be told later that he was under arrest. After his arrest, about 100 armed mobile policemen took him away in a bus and other vehicles to Karu, where he was quarantined for few hours before taken back to hospital to complete his treatment.