Posted by From PETRUS OBI, Enugu on
An Enugu Federal High Court presided over by Justice Olayinka Faji has fixed Monday, February 11, 2007 for ruling on a bail application brought before it by former governor of Edo State, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, in his trial for alleged embezzlement of public funds.
An Enugu Federal High Court presided over by Justice Olayinka Faji has fixed Monday, February 11, 2007 for ruling on a bail application brought before it by former governor of Edo State, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, in his trial for alleged embezzlement of public funds.
The presiding judge fixed the date after arguments from both the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs and Chief Igbinedion's counsel, Alhaji Abdullahi Ibrahim (SAN).
The court also granted an application by the EFCC for an accelerated hearing ordering that the trial should be concluded between February 25 and March 7, 2008.
Counsel to the former Edo governor had prayed the court to grant his client bail on the grounds that Igbinedion had shown ‘uncontradicted' and ‘uncontroverted' evidence that he voluntarily submitted himself, cutting short his overseas trip to return and face the charges against him.
He prayed the court to consider the weight of the charges leveled against his client, maintaining that they were bailable, adding that he saw no reason his client should not be allowed to regain his freedom.
'The prosecution counsel is just trying to make this matter a serious one. When my client got hint that he was wanted by the EFCC in Nigeria, he voluntarily returned home. It shows that he is a responsible citizen. The prosecution counsel has no strong evidence to show that my client will jump bail. The EFCC has always used adulterations and denials to make something out of nothing," he said.
The counsel informed the court that although the international passport of his client was stolen in the United Kingdom when he was declared wanted, he took bold steps to replace it to facilitate his homecoming to face trial.
He prayed the court not to sacrifice the freedom of his client on the altar of accelerated hearing, and urged the court to see the matter from a liberal point of view, exercise its discretion and grant his client bail.
Counsel to EFCC opposed the bail application on the grounds that the suspect would jump bail and interfere with the course of justice.
He told the court that the suspect jumped bail when released conditionally in June 2007 to travel outside the country for just three weeks.
The ex-governor, he noted refused to return to the country after six months until a warrant of arrest was issued against him in Abuja.
He also claimed that some of the witnesses in the case were in protective custody following intimidation by some miscreants.
'In short, the suspect jumped bail when he was released in June. Again, he did not submit himself temporarily as claimed by the counsel to the accused person," he said.