Posted by BY MARTINS OLOJA,MUYIWA ADEYEMI AND JOHN-ABBA OGBODO on
FRANTIC efforts were being made by the Federal Government last night to extradite the impeached Bayelsa State Governor, Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha to Britain to face the law for alleged money laundering charges.
* Flown To Abuja In Chains
* To Be Charged To Court Monday
FRANTIC efforts were being made by the Federal Government last night to extradite the impeached Bayelsa State Governor, Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha to Britain to face the law for alleged money laundering charges. He had already jumped bail in London, ran back home on Monday, November 21 to continue his work as governor.
But a senior lawyer told The Guardian last night that the procedure would not be a straight forward jacket as the traditional channel of exradition hearing has to be fully explored, and it normally takes some time.
He will be charged to a Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday.
In fact, a competent source said a legal advice to the government wanted a proper procedure to be followed, much against any rushed arrangement.
The impeached governor, according to a report on the national television network yesterday, was flown to Abuja almost immediately after he lost his exalted seat.
He was seen in handcuffs on an NTA footage as he was being led into the Louis Edet House - the police headquarters.
The former governor was seen in long sleeves in the company of senior police officers.
It was not clear at press time whether he would be handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commision (EFCC).
A source at the police headquarters, however, said he was taken away from the Louis Edet House to a detention centre at about 7.30 p.m, possibly a police guest house at Maitama District. Some of his commissioners were believed to have been taken along with him.
If the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) could have it way, the impeached governor of Bayelsa State Chief DSP
A former Attorney General of the federation yesterday said that extradition is not an executive matter but a judicial matter, which must take a due process.
The former minister of justice who would not want his name in print said there are international laws and conventions that guide extradition which Nigerian government must follow.
According to him: "If the EFCC wants to extradite the man to London, they must first take him to court in Nigeria where he would have to defend himself. Even if a judgment is given and he is not satisfied, he has the right to appeal even to the Supreme Court. Extradition is not something that is that easy, it must follow a due judicial process."
Reacting to an impression that the INTERPOL might have issued an international warrant of arrest to extradite Alamieyeseigha to London, the international lawyer said: "There are basic international laws that guide the conduct of INTERPOL, even if they had warrant of arrest they must still take it to court where the validity of such warrant would be verified.
"If not, it means that INTERPOL can just come to your office and whisk you to the airport, then to Moscow. We have recent cases in London and Chile as an instance. For that of London, the case dragged to the House of Lords.
He however advised the government to follow due process in extraditing the impeached governor to London