Posted by From Lillian Okenwa in Abuja on
A high Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja restated its order to Kuje prison authorities that they produce the former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Tafa Balogun, before the court.
A high Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja restated its order to Kuje prison authorities that they produce the former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Tafa Balogun, before the court.
Barely one week after a Federal High Court, Abuja convicted and sentenced the former IGP to six months imprisonment with a N4 million fine for failing to comply with the investigations of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over his alleged business concerns and interests in some companies amounting to over N17.7 billion the court presided by Justice Salisu Garba on November 30, ordered the Kuje prison authorities to produce him.
However, neither Balogun nor anybody from the prisons were present at the resumed session of the suit to give any explanations.
Consequently, the trial judge who said he would give them a benefit of doubt adjourned to January 11, 2006 restating his former order that Balogun must be brought before him.
Balogun is currently serving his prison term. After filing the initial suit at the Federal high Court, EFCC instituted another action at the Abuja High Court.
The former IGP is facing a 92 count charge for gratification involving over N5.8 billion during his tenure Office.
At the resumed hearing on the 92 count suit before Justice Garba, counsel to the EFCC, Mr. Ade Adeniyi who represnted Rotimi Jacobs observed that Balogun was absent and demanded for a production warrant to enable the Prison authority bring him before the court.
Ruling on this application, Justice Garba ordered that he must appear in court on the next adjourned date.
The matter was subsequently adjourned to, December 6.
On November 22 Justice Binta Murtala Nyako of Federal high court, Abuja Sentenced him to six months imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to the eight-count charge brought by EFCC against him.
Also, the court ordered the forfeiture of his assets and properties to federal government. It also ordered the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to de-registe the eight limited liability companies including Yeboa Nigeria, Caledonian Telecommunications, Renovation Construction, Aworo Investment, Olatrade, Yeboa Investment, CEE JAY
Properties, Ivory investment believed to have been employed by Balogun to carry out money laundering acts and other corrupt practices.
According to Justice Nyako Tafa’s six months jail should be deducted from the 67 days he already spent in prison custody.
Sources close to the court told ThisDay that the production warrant was ready for collection by the EFCC counsel since yesterday morning.
Both Tafa’s lawyer, Tunji Abayomi and EFCC’s lead counsel Rotimi Jacob affirmed the court decision making it difficult to understand whether the commission would drop the 92 count charge or not.