EFCC disowns police lawyer who filed ‘felony’ suit against Stella Oduah

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has disowned Ibrahim Mohammed, a police officer, for filing a suit against Stella Oduah, a former minister of aviation.

Helen Okonofua, counsel to the EFCC, on Tuesday, told the federal high court in Abuja that Mohammed, an officer from the legal department of the force headquarters, was not authorised by the agency to file a felony charge against Oduah.

BACKGROUND

In June, the federal government preferred an eight-count charge against Oduah in a suit filed before the federal high court in Abuja.

All the charges against the former minister bother on the allegation that she lied on oath which amount to a felony.

It is alleged that Oduah falsely claimed to have lost her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate to support her eligibility to contest elections and occupy public office.

Mohammed had signed the charge sheet as a member of the legal and prosecution department of the EFCC.

At the court sitting last Tuesday, Mohammed announced an appearance for the Nigeria police.

However, James Omotosho, the presiding judge, asked the counsel if he was the one who signed the charge sheet.

Responding, Mohammed said he was seconded to the EFCC but redeployed back to the police in November 2022.

He added that he resumed at the legal department of police headquarters in January 2023, adding that he mistakenly put the EFCC, Benin as his office while preparing the charge.

“It was a mistake, sir. I mistakenly put EFCC Benin on the charge,” he had said.

But not satisfied with the explanation, Omotosho ordered an investigation into the matter.

“You will go to EFCC and explain. Let us investigate this matter. I call for an investigation,” the judge had said.

TUESDAY COURT PROCEEDINGS

Okonofua told the presiding judge that the anti-graft agency had investigated the police lawyer based on the directive of the court.

The counsel said the report of the findings will be presented at the registry of the court.

In his ruling, Omotosho asked the EFCC to formally present its findings to the court on October 4, 2023.