Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday, adjourned an application filed by former Governor of Imo, Sen. Rochas Okorocha, until Feb. 6 for ruling.
Justice Inyang Ekwo fixed the date after counsel to the parties adopted their processes and presented their arguments for and against Okorocha’s preliminary objection.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Okorocha, in a motion on notice marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/28/22 dated and filed on Oct. 28 , had prayed for an order quashing the charge and/or all counts of the charge preferred against him as a result of the investigation by the EFCC into his activities while in office as governor of imo between 2011 and 2019.
Okorocha, who currently represents Imo West Senatorial District, described the suit as being “unlawful, baseless, oppressive and a gross abuse of the process of the court.”
He said that the investigation “on which the said charge was predicated, was subject matter of suit number: FCH/PH/FHR/165/2021 wherein this Hon. Court, Coram Pam, J. had, in final judgment at the suit of the applicant. declared unlawful and made an order prohibiting the EFCC from further proceeding.”
But the EFCC, in its counter affidavit dated and filed on Nov. 18, said it had seen and read through Okorocha’s motion dated Oct. 28, that “the depositions therein are grossly misleading and untrue particularly paragraphs 3 and 4.”
The anti-corruption agency urged the court to dismiss the application for lacking in merit.
Upon resumed hearing in the matter, Okorochas’ lawyer, Ola Olanipekun SAN, prayed the court to grant the application and quash the 17-count charge preferred against his client
The EFCC’s lawyer, K. N. Ugwu, who disagreed with Olanipekun’s submission, urged the court dismiss the motion in its entirety.
