Posted by From GODWIN TSA, Abuja on
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it cannot arrest Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, first daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who was fingered in the N300 million unspent budget scandal in the Federal Ministry of Health owing to the immunity she enjoys in the Senate.
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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it cannot arrest Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, first daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who was fingered in the N300 million unspent budget scandal in the Federal Ministry of Health owing to the immunity she enjoys in the Senate.
According to James Binang, a lawyer and an Assistant Detective Commander at the EFCC, 'It is like a game of catch me, if you can. While she is in the hallowed chamber, she enjoys immunity and it is statutorily impossible for us to effect her arrest."
Binang, who is prosecuting the case, told the News Agency of Nigeria that the EFCC had invited Obasanjo-Bello several times but to no avail.
'We hope that before the end of the week, we will make a headway," he said.
The EFCC said on April 8 that Senator Obasanjo-Bello was at large, a position she denied through her lawyer, Chief Joe Kyari-Gadzama.
Obasanjo-Bello was charged along with 11 top management staff of the Federal Ministry of Health, including two ministers, over the scam, at an Abuja High Court.
In the 56-count charge, Obasanjo-Bello, chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, is accused of conspiracy and retention of proceeds of crimes and stolen property.
Specifically, she was alleged to have collected N10 million, on behalf of her committee, from the N300 million the ministry ought to have returned to the treasury.
Meanwhile, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), ex-President Obasanjo's lawyer, has filed a motion before the court seeking to strike out Senator Obasanjo-Bello's name from the charge.
In the motion, the lawyer contended that the count 56, which concerns Obasanjo-Bello, was illegal because her name was not among the accused listed in the charge sheet.
Binang, however, said he had filed an objection to the motion.
He said: 'We would have listed her name as the 12th accused in the charge, but because she was at large.
'The objection filed by her lawyer is an abuse of court process because she has refused to submit herself for trial."
Binang further said the EFCC were prepared to amend the charge to include her name if she made herself available for trial.