October 6, 2007
Attorney General of the Federation, Michael Aondoakaa, has stepped up his bizarre efforts to help former governors evade prosecution for their money laundering and other corrupt activities.
Aondoakaa’s most recent move is to help former governor of Rivers State, Peter Odili, who faces prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over his alleged embezzlement of billions of naira of state funds.
On February 22nd 2007, Odili filed a suit challenging the powers of the EFCC to probe his administration in Rivers State. The lawsuit, Number FHC/PH/CS/78/07 was akin to the one filed by the Delta State government to protect former Governor James Ibori. However, Odili’s suit took place quietly and was rarely reported by the media. The Federal Court judge, Justice I.N Buba, "fast-tracked" the case and by March 23 2007 delivered a 122-page ruling in Odili’s favor.
The EFCC subsequently filed an appeal against the judgment, and the Appeal is scheduled for hearing in April of 2008.
Based on the Federal Court judgment, Odili filed a suit against the AGF and the EFCC seeking an exparte order barring the EFCC from arresting or prosecuting him. That case, which is at present before the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, did not go the way Odili hoped as the presiding judge declined to issue the exparte order. Instead, the judge ordered that all parties be served.
Aondoakaa appears ready to hand victory to Odili by using a technical loophole. While Odili’s case was filed against the office of the Attorney General as the first respondent while the EFCC was joined as second respondent, the Attorney General's office has so far refused to file any defense in court.
“Aondoakaa’s refusal to file a defence is tantamount to telling the court that Odili’s prayers are not only legally sound but also unassailable,” said a lawyer familiar with the case. “And Aondoakaa knows that Odili’s case is weak and wishy washy.”
By contrast, the EFCC has since filed its defense and counter claim.
The case, scheduled to come up on Monday December 10th 2007, is for “adoption of written address.” The problem is that Mr. Aondoakaa has sent in no address to be adopted.
Another lawyer wondered why the AGF of a regime that claims to be fighting corruption “has not found the time to file papers in response to such an important case. If he were on Odili’s legal team, he could not have done more to help his client’s case.”
The process was served on both the EFCC and the AGF on September 14, 2007.
In an earlier report, Saharareporters had disclosed that Mr. Aondoakaa had entered into a deal with former governors indicted by the EFCC to frustrate their trial by the agency.
As part of the deal, the attorney general advised the embattled former governors to shop for “soft” judges who can issue them injunctions and favorable judgments. Mr. Aondoakaa then pledged that he would use the injunctions as an excuse to frustrate the prosecution of the ex-governors by claiming that the Umar Yar’adua regime is a respecter of the rule of law.
So far, former Governors Orji Kalu, James Ibori and now Peter Odili are benefiting from the deal with the attorney general. Saharareporters has gathered that Mr. Aondoakaa is acting under the direction of his principal, Yar’adua, to protect serving and former governors accused of money laundering and graft.
Peter Odili, a physician by training, is accused of diverting billions of naira of Rivers State funds to his own use, according to investigatory reports issued by the EFCC.
Aondoakaa’s most recent move is to help former governor of Rivers State, Peter Odili, who faces prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over his alleged embezzlement of billions of naira of state funds.
On February 22nd 2007, Odili filed a suit challenging the powers of the EFCC to probe his administration in Rivers State. The lawsuit, Number FHC/PH/CS/78/07 was akin to the one filed by the Delta State government to protect former Governor James Ibori. However, Odili’s suit took place quietly and was rarely reported by the media. The Federal Court judge, Justice I.N Buba, "fast-tracked" the case and by March 23 2007 delivered a 122-page ruling in Odili’s favor.
The EFCC subsequently filed an appeal against the judgment, and the Appeal is scheduled for hearing in April of 2008.
Based on the Federal Court judgment, Odili filed a suit against the AGF and the EFCC seeking an exparte order barring the EFCC from arresting or prosecuting him. That case, which is at present before the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, did not go the way Odili hoped as the presiding judge declined to issue the exparte order. Instead, the judge ordered that all parties be served.
Aondoakaa appears ready to hand victory to Odili by using a technical loophole. While Odili’s case was filed against the office of the Attorney General as the first respondent while the EFCC was joined as second respondent, the Attorney General's office has so far refused to file any defense in court.
“Aondoakaa’s refusal to file a defence is tantamount to telling the court that Odili’s prayers are not only legally sound but also unassailable,” said a lawyer familiar with the case. “And Aondoakaa knows that Odili’s case is weak and wishy washy.”
By contrast, the EFCC has since filed its defense and counter claim.
The case, scheduled to come up on Monday December 10th 2007, is for “adoption of written address.” The problem is that Mr. Aondoakaa has sent in no address to be adopted.
Another lawyer wondered why the AGF of a regime that claims to be fighting corruption “has not found the time to file papers in response to such an important case. If he were on Odili’s legal team, he could not have done more to help his client’s case.”
The process was served on both the EFCC and the AGF on September 14, 2007.
In an earlier report, Saharareporters had disclosed that Mr. Aondoakaa had entered into a deal with former governors indicted by the EFCC to frustrate their trial by the agency.
As part of the deal, the attorney general advised the embattled former governors to shop for “soft” judges who can issue them injunctions and favorable judgments. Mr. Aondoakaa then pledged that he would use the injunctions as an excuse to frustrate the prosecution of the ex-governors by claiming that the Umar Yar’adua regime is a respecter of the rule of law.
So far, former Governors Orji Kalu, James Ibori and now Peter Odili are benefiting from the deal with the attorney general. Saharareporters has gathered that Mr. Aondoakaa is acting under the direction of his principal, Yar’adua, to protect serving and former governors accused of money laundering and graft.
Peter Odili, a physician by training, is accused of diverting billions of naira of Rivers State funds to his own use, according to investigatory reports issued by the EFCC.
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