Like the Biblical house built on the sand, efforts of the Chief of Staff to the Rivers state Governor; Chief Nyesom Wike, to quash the 4.5 billion Naira money laundering charge slammed upon him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC collapsed this morning as an Abuja High Court refused to grant his request for the charges to be quashed.
Justice Folashade Ojo, the presiding judge in her ruling this morning dismissed Wike’s application for the quashing of his charge on the ground that the proof of evidence attached in the charge by the anti graft agency contains sufficient prima facie evidence against the embattled Chief of Staff.
According to the judge, “The bank details attached to the charges against the accused by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission contains prima facie evidence to sustain the charges as contained in the charge sheet. The application seeking to quash the charges on the grounds of insufficient prima facie evidence is here by struck out”
The judge thereafter directed the anti graft agency to assemble and produce their witnesses in court for the commencement of the trial and adjourned till Tuesday, 5th May 2009.
Chief Wike had earlier on the last hearing through his counsel; Mr. Damian Dodo (SAN) moved an application challenging the competency of the charges proffered against him by the anti financial crimes agency..
In the motion brought pursuant to section 36 and 6 (6) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, Wike sought for an order of the court quashing the charge proffered on him in charge number CR/11/04 for non disclosure of prima facie case and for being and abuse of court process.
He also sought for the quashing of the charge on the ground that the charge was incompetent.
Wike had contended that the Rivers state government which he serves had not lodged any complaint to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission that her money is missing and that no material evidence was placed before the court to show that he committed any crime.
The embattled Chief of Staff was arrested and arraigned by the anti graft agency on a 7 count charge bordering on allegations of misappropriation and diversion of public funds. He has consistently maintained that the Zenith Bank account which is at the center of this brouhaha was opened and maintained by him sine 2004 before the emergence of the Rotimi Administration in Rivers state. This account, according to Chief Wike is different from that of the state government.
Wike called on the court to dismiss the charge against him as it is malicious, frivolous and instigated to deliberately embarrass him. He contended further that the FCT High Court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain the suit.
With the ruling this morning, the path is cleared for the trial of Nyesom Wike who has been described as the financial conduit pipe to the Rivers state Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amechi.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('comments'); });
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content1'); });
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content2'); });